Berlin hosts football World Cup.Berlin hosts football World Cup The last time the eyes of the sporting world were on Berlin was 70 years ago. And it still ranks as one of the most eye-catching moments in history, as Jesse Jesse (jĕs`ē), in the Bible, the descendant of Rahab, the grandson of Boaz and Ruth, and the father of David. Referring to the restoration of the Davidic monarchy, the Book of Isaiah speaks of a shoot coming from the "stump of Jesse. Owens won his gold and Hitler squirmed during the 1936 Olympics. Fast forward 70 years and the eyes of the world are yet again on the German capital as it prepares for the football World Cup. The city hosts a number of matches, and has been given pride of place by welcoming world champions Brazil for their first game, June 13, against Croatia, and staging the final on July 9. England, hopefully, will make their only appearance at the Olympiastadion in the final. The Olympic stadium The Olympic Stadium is the name usually given to the big centrepiece stadium of the Summer Olympic Games. Traditionally, the opening and closing ceremonies and the track & field competitions are held in the Olympic Stadium. has undergone a [pounds sterling]165m renovation to make the 76,000-capacity facility ready for this year's tournament and is a far cry from when Hitler used it for propaganda for his Germany. But it is not just the stadium which has been improved, the city, which has been neglected by tourists, now boasts fine restaurants, bars, cafes and attractions for visitors. With budget airlines and regular carriers putting the city back on schedules since it was reinstated as the capital seven years ago, Berlin is easy and cheap to get to. And most of the major hotel chains are now there. Top attractions, apart from the football, include Checkpoint Charlie Checkpoint Charlie was the name given by the Western Allies to a crossing point between East Berlin and West Berlin during the Cold War. Other Allied checkpoints on the Autobahn , the Norman Foster-designed Reichstag parliament building, Brandenburg Gate Brandenburg Gate The only remaining town gate of Berlin, it is located at the western end of the avenue Unter den Linden. Carl G. Langhans (1732–1808), who built the gate (1789–93), modeled it after the propylaeum of the Athenian Acropolis. (left), sections of the Berlin Wall, and the memorial to Jewish victims of the Nazi era (below). Gendarmenmarkt is one of the most beautiful squares in Europe, surrounded sur·round tr.v. sur·round·ed, sur·round·ing, sur·rounds 1. To extend on all sides of simultaneously; encircle. 2. To enclose or confine on all sides so as to bar escape or outside communication. n. by the Deutscher Dom Deutscher Dom (German for: German Cathedral) is a cathedral located in Berlin on the Gendarmenmarkt across from the Französischer Dom (French Cathedral). It was built in 1705 by Giovanni Simonetti and was designed by Martin Grünberg. , the Franzosischer Dom and the Konzerthaus. It is ideal for quick coffee or a longer linger over Verb 1. linger over - delay dwell on hesitate, waffle, waver - pause or hold back in uncertainty or unwillingness; "Authorities hesitate to quote exact figures" lunch. There are a huge number of galleries, museums and other cultural attractions for visitors, including sites dedicated to art, film, photography and fashion. The city prides itself on its forward-looking culture and the modern is tied in with old Berlin. Shopping is king on the Unter den Linden Unter den Linden ("under the linden trees") is a boulevard in the centre of Berlin, the capital of Germany. It is named for its linden (lime in British English) trees that line the grassed pedestrian mall between two carriageways. , Friedrichstrasse and Kurfurstendamm, while fine restaurants are all over the city offering traditional German fare, like the ubiquitous Found in large quantities everywhere. This English word means "all over the place." meatball, and international dishes. Traveling around the city is easy and considerably cheaper than London. The U-Bahn underground, S-Bahn suburban services and trams whisk sightseers around the city for around [pounds sterling]4 a day. Deals on tickets and passes are available. For football fans, the city is turning itself over to fun, festivals and, of course, famous German beer. The Fan-festival takes place from June 7 to July 9 on the Strasse des 17 Juni between the Brandenburg Gate and Sieggesaule in the heart of the city. Huge screens will show matches and fans will be catered for by Berliners. So, if you find yourself in Berlin in the next month and don't fancy the football, there are hundreds of places to escape to if only for a few hours. http://www.berlin-tourist-information.de To check out Berlin's role in the World Cup go to http://www.fifaworldcup.com |
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