Sunday, May 20, 2007

9684 km from Los Angeles …

Sorry for being absent so long … but I was so busy during the last two weeks and this town is so exciting... I’ve seen so many places and met a lot of friends. In the following days I’ll let you share in what I discovered …

Let’s start with the Rotes Rathaus (Red Town Hall), this is the town hall of Berlin. It is the home to the governing mayor and the government of the Federal state of Berlin. The name of the landmark building dates from the facade design with red clinker bricks.

The town hall was built between 1861 and 1869 in the style of the north Italian High Renaissance by Hermann Friedrich Wäsemann. The architecture of the tower is reminiscent of the cathedral's tower of Laon in France.

The building was heavily damaged by Allied bombing in World War II. Located in the Soviet sector, it served as the town hall of East Berlin after its reconstruction during the 1950s to the original plans, while the Rathaus Schöneberg was domicile of the West Berlin Senate. After German reunification the administration of unified Berlin officially moved back in 1991.

As you can see … I’m 9684 km for Los Angeles.