The Berlin TV Tower, or Fernsehturm, rises 368 metres above Alexanderplatz and remains the defining feature of the city's skyline. Built between 1965 and 1969 by the East German government, it was intended as a conspicuous statement of the GDR's technological ambition. It outlasted the state that built it and is now a much-loved, if complicated, symbol of Berlin.
A lift takes visitors to the observation deck at 203 metres, where floor-to-ceiling windows offer a 360-degree view across the capital. Berlin's largely low-rise landscape is easy to read from here: look for the Brandenburg Gate, the green expanse of the Tiergarten and, on clear days, the lakes and forests beyond the city. The tower's revolving restaurant adds another perspective, slowly turning above the observation deck.
Book tickets online in advance, especially in summer and around public holidays, when queues can be long. A weekday morning visit is a good bet for a quieter experience and soft light over the city. Alexanderplatz station is a short walk away and is served by S-Bahn and U-Bahn trains. Before you leave, look up at the sphere: sunlight can create a cross-shaped reflection on its surface, wryly nicknamed the “Pope's Revenge” during the GDR era.