France
Great Britain
IDEAS AND CURIOSITIES
BERLIN
KaDeWe: Kaufhaus des Westens is a big shopping mall in Berlin, with luxurious and sophisticated products, founded by Adolf Jandorf and inaugurated the 27th of March in 1907. It is located in Schoneberg district, in the Tauentzienstrabe, at the corner with Wittenbergplatz and it is the most famous shopping male of the entire Germany. It has been restored several times during the years and it was managed by 5 different companies (since February 1994 is owned by Karstadt). During the Second World War it was completely destroyed by a blaze. Kadewe is nowadays the biggest shopping mall of all Eastern Europe with its 60.000 ms squared. The section dedicated to gastronomic specialties, built in the 20s, the ‘Feinschmeckeretage’ is really renowned, consecutively to the 1978’s restoration it became the second largest gastronomic section of the worlds’ shopping malls.
Walking around Berlin-the Prenzlauer Berg: not quite a museum, nor an art gallery or a church but an entire district… An alternative way to discover the city: the Prenzlauer Berg, situated on the borderlines of the ex west part of Germany, limiting with the Wall. Right after the reunification of Germany, this area has been ‘conquered’ by young creative artists, now emblem of integration among the different cultures. It is a perfect example of a free nonconformist Berlin, where everything can happen. Walking along this district’s streets you feel a joyful sensation typical of the ‘underground’ culture, most vivid during the nightlife, at the several bars, restaurants and dancing clubs, the favourite destination among the youngest.
MUNICH
Augustiner: the most ancient beer-manufacturing centre of Germany, founded by the Augustinian monks in 1328. The majestic complex comprehends the Augustinerkirche, the cloister, the beer fabric and the annexed cellar. In 1803, through the Napoleon’s suppressions, the Agostinian where fought off Munich, the church was deconsecrated (and it hosts nowadays the Hunting and Fishing Museum) and the factory privatized. In 1855 the Wagner family, owner of the Augustiner, moved their factories to Landsberger Strabe 27, nearby the original area of foundation. The Augustiner beer is produced in accord with the purity Edict, the Reinheitsgebot, created in 1487 under the will of the Duke Albrecht IV von Bayern, who established the beer should only contain three elements: hop, water and barley malt, later on wheat malt and yeast were added.
The Bmw Museum: on the boarders of the Olympic Park, in the inner part of an extraordinary silver mug-shaped building, the Bmw Museum is one of the main attractions of Munich. The history and models of the world-wide famous automobilistic bavarian brand is represented in a 5,000 ms squared area, founded in 1915 as aeronautical brand. The Bmw brand is created in 1917 and stands for ‘Bayerische Motoren Werke’, meaning ‘Bavarian motors factory’,the logo is a stylized helix, in light-blue and white, the colours of Bavary. In this Museum it is also possible to discover all the different alternative propulsions techniques, the recycling and the organized traffic. In front of the Bmw Museum, in 2007, it was inaugurated an architectural complex named Bmw World, where the most passionated visitors will be directly able to order their dreams car or motorbike.
