Tiergarten

Tiergarten is a 2.5 sq. km park with over 23 km of multi-use paths, popular because of its size and central location. The park was originally a hunting ground for the electors of Brandenburg and closed to the public. It was destroyed in the Second World War, and the few remaining trees became firewood for desperate Berliners. Restoration began in 1955 and now the park is home to the Berlin Zoo, with its 13,000 animals; the Victory Column, a statue of a goddess topped with an observation deck; the Bellevue Palace, an 18th-century palace where the German President resides; and Haus der Kulturen der Welt, the House of World Cultures, a museum of - you guessed it - world cultures.