EAST GERMANY: Traces of the Soviet Past
EAST GERMANY: Traces of the Soviet Past
Notable moments
- 04:48 Reichstag Glass Dome Walkway
Visitors walk along the interior spiral ramps of the vast glass dome designed by Norman Foster atop the Reichstag building in Berlin. From the glass dome, tourists can look directly down into the parliamentary chamber of the German Bundestag below.
Reichstag Building, Berlin, Germany - 05:13 Brandenburg Gate
The historic neoclassical monument built in the late 18th century stands gracefully as sunbeams filter through its monumental columns. Atop the gate sits the famous Quadriga sculpture depicting the goddess of victory driving a four-horse chariot.
Brandenburg Gate, Berlin, Germany - 07:08 Tempelhof Field and Historic Airport
Aerial footage showcases the vast curved terminal building and former runways of Tempelhof Airport, which played a crucial role during the 1948–1949 Berlin Airlift. Today, the airfield has been transformed into Tempelhofer Feld, a massive public park in the heart of Berlin.
Tempelhof Airport, Berlin, Germany - 09:30 Charlottenburg Palace Gardens
An aerial view shows the expansive Baroque palace built in the late 17th century as a summer residence for Sophie Charlotte. The manicured garden parterres, central dome topped with a gilded statue of Fortuna, and surrounding parkland are prominently displayed.
Charlottenburg Palace, Berlin, Germany - 11:28 Glienicke Bridge
The green steel truss bridge spans the Havel River, connecting Berlin and Potsdam. Known historically as the 'Bridge of Spies', it served as a Cold War border crossing where the United States and Soviet Union conducted high-profile prisoner exchanges.
Glienicke Bridge, Potsdam, Germany - 14:48 Sanssouci Palace Terraces
Aerial shot displays the elegant Rococo summer palace of Frederick the Great perched above six stepped vineyard terraces. Below the palace, visitors walk past symmetrical lawns, fountains, and sculpted hedges in Sanssouci Park.
Sanssouci Palace, Potsdam, Germany - 16:30 Dresden Frauenkirche
The iconic Baroque Lutheran church features its massive sandstone dome, rising dramatically over Dresden's Neumarkt square. Destroyed during the 1945 bombing raids, it stood in ruins for decades before being meticulously reconstructed using original salvaged stones.
Dresden Frauenkirche, Dresden, Germany - 17:18 Dresden Zwinger Palace
The camera pans across the sprawling Baroque complex showing ornate galleries, fountains, manicured lawns, and the gilded Crown Gate. Constructed in the 18th century for Saxon Elector Augustus the Strong, it remains one of Germany's finest examples of Baroque architecture.
Dresden Zwinger, Dresden, Germany - 19:50 Karl Marx Monument
A colossal 13-meter tall bronze bust of Karl Marx stands on a pedestal in central Chemnitz, backdropped by a building wall inscribed with 'Workers of the world, unite!' in multiple languages. Erected in 1971 when the city was named Karl-Marx-Stadt, it is the second-largest monumental bust in the world.
Karl Marx Monument, Chemnitz, Germany - 21:40 Bastei Bridge in Saxon Switzerland
Towering sandstone rock pillars rise above the Elbe River, connected by the famous 19th-century stone Bastei Bridge. Visitors can be seen walking across the bridge, taking in panoramic views of misty forested valleys and sheer rock formations.
Bastei Bridge, Lohmen, Germany - 22:58 Königstein Fortress
Aerial camera captures the hilltop fortress spread across an 800-foot-high sandstone plateau overlooking the Elbe River loop. Featuring sheer stone walls and dozens of historic military buildings, it served as an impregnable refuge and prison for centuries.
Königstein Fortress, Königstein, Germany - 25:52 Sun Organ in Görlitz Church
Inside the Gothic Church of St. Peter and Paul in Görlitz, the camera highlights the intricate Sun Organ built in the 18th century. The organ facade features 17 gilded sunburst motifs built directly into pipe arrangements.
St. Peter and Paul, Görlitz, Germany - 27:16 Alte Wasserkunst Waterworks Tower
The 16th-century stone waterworks tower stands on a rocky bluff above the Spree River in Bautzen. Built to pump water uphill to the fortified medieval town, it now forms part of Bautzen's iconic skyline alongside ancient city walls.
Alte Wasserkunst, Bautzen, Germany - 29:04 Rakotzbrücke Devil's Bridge
The thin, arched stone bridge stretches over the tranquil waters of Rakotz Lake in Azalea and Rhododendron Park Kromlau. Its precise parabolic arch combines with its reflection in the calm water to form a complete, perfect stone circle surrounded by lush foliage.
Rakotzbrücke, Gablenz, Germany - 32:50 Monument to Battle of Nations
Aerial footage shows the massive 91-meter-tall granite memorial erected in 1913 to commemorate Napoleon's defeat at Leipzig in 1813. The imposing structure features gigantic carved warrior statues surrounding its upper rim and reflects in a large basin of water in front.
Monument to the Battle of the Nations, Leipzig, Germany - 35:10 Naumburg Cathedral
The four-towered UNESCO World Heritage cathedral displays a blend of late Romanesque and early Gothic architecture. Surrounded by the Saale-Unstrut vineyard region, the cathedral houses famous medieval stone donor figures including Uta von Naumburg.
Naumburg Cathedral, Naumburg, Germany - 37:10 Albrechtsburg Castle and Meissen Cathedral
High above the Elbe River, the 15th-century Albrechtsburg Castle sits alongside the twin-spired Gothic Meissen Cathedral on a rocky ridge. Albrechtsburg is considered Germany's oldest castle built as a royal residence and became the original home of Meissen porcelain production.
Albrechtsburg, Meissen, Germany - 38:46 Moritzburg Castle
An aerial view reveals the grand Baroque hunting lodge featuring four cylindrical red-roofed towers set on a symmetrical artificial island surrounded by a lake. Access is granted via a long stone causeway across the water, making it a classic fairytale setting.
Moritzburg Castle, Moritzburg, Germany - 41:43 Kayaking in Spreewald Canals
A woman paddles a green kayak through peaceful, tree-shaded water channels in the Spreewald UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. The vast network of over 200 navigable canals winds past traditional wooden farmhouses and lush green forests.
Spreewald, Lübbenau, Germany - 42:48 Beelitz-Heilstätten Sanatorium Ruins
Aerial drone shots showcase the decaying red-brick buildings of a late 19th-century tuberculosis sanatorium complex enveloped by dense pine forest. Trees now grow directly out of broken rooftops and abandoned hospital corridors, making it a famous destination for urban exploration.
Beelitz-Heilstätten, Beelitz, Germany - 45:00 Tropical Islands Indoor Waterpark
Located inside a massive former airship hangar, this tropical resort features indoor sandy beaches, palm trees, swimming lagoons, water slides, and live flamingos. Visitors lounge under the giant self-supporting dome while enjoying constant warm summer temperatures year-round.
Tropical Islands Resort, Krausnick, Germany - 47:18 St. Servatius Church on Castle Hill
Perched atop sandstone Castle Hill, the Romanesque collegiate church towers over Quedlinburg's red-roofed old town containing over 1,300 half-timbered houses. The church crypt contains the 10th-century tombs of King Henry the Fowler and Queen Mathilde.
St. Servatius Church, Quedlinburg, Germany - 50:08 Brockenbahn Steam Locomotive Ride
A historic steam locomotive exhales plumes of white smoke as it pulls passenger carriages along narrow-gauge tracks winding up the snowy slopes of Brocken Mountain. The Brockenbahn ascends to the summit of the Harz range, offering scenic mountain views.
Brocken, Schierke, Germany - 51:12 Wernigerode Town Hall
The picturesque timber-framed town hall with slender spires and carved wooden details overlooks Wernigerode's cobbled market square. Nearby, Wernigerode Castle stands atop a forested hill overlooking hundreds of preserved half-timbered houses.
Wernigerode Town Hall, Wernigerode, Germany - 53:25 Dessau Bauhaus School Building
Designed by Walter Gropius in 1925, the famous modernist building features clean geometry, flat roofs, steel frames, and large glass curtain walls. It served as the central hub for the influential Bauhaus movement that revolutionized modern architecture and industrial design.
Bauhaus Dessau, Dessau-Roßlau, Germany - 55:06 Goethe and Schiller Monument
A bronze double statue of literary giants Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and Friedrich Schiller stands on Theaterplatz in front of the German National Theatre in Weimar. Weimar was a central hub for German Classicism, the Bauhaus school, and the drafting of the 1919 Weimar Constitution.
German National Theatre, Weimar, Germany - 56:36 Erfurt Cathedral and St. Severi
On Domplatz square in Erfurt, St. Mary's Cathedral and the Gothic Church of St. Severi sit side by side atop a hill connected by a wide stone staircase. The cathedral tower houses the Gloriosa, the world's largest free-swinging medieval bell cast in 1497.
Erfurt Cathedral, Erfurt, Germany - 58:02 Krämerbrücke Merchant's Bridge
Aerial and close-up views show the unique medieval arch bridge lined on both sides with continuously inhabited half-timbered houses and artisan shops. Spanning the Gera River, visitors can stroll along the paved roadway flanked by craftspeople selling traditional goods.
Krämerbrücke, Erfurt, Germany - 58:28 Wartburg Castle
Perched on a steep forested ridge, the medieval fortress is famed as the refuge where Martin Luther translated the New Testament into German in 1521. The castle blends Romanesque, Gothic, and half-timbered architectural elements overlooking the Thuringian countryside.
Wartburg Castle, Eisenach, Germany - 60:20 Wismar Old Town
Views of Wismar's Baltic harbor and market square showcase red-brick Gothic gables and merchant houses dating back to the Hanseatic League era. The city's preserved medieval core and monumental brick churches are recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Wismar, Germany - 62:08 Schwerin Castle
The romantic 19th-century palace with gilded domes and dozens of spires rests on an island in Lake Schwerin. Surrounded by formal gardens and water reflections, it currently serves as the seat of the state parliament of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.
Schwerin Castle, Schwerin, Germany - 64:08 Jasmund Chalk Cliffs Königsstuhl
Bright white chalk cliffs capped by dense ancient beech forests plunge over 330 feet into the turquoise Baltic Sea on Rügen Island. The dramatic landscape including the Königsstuhl cliff inspired 19th-century Romantic painter Caspar David Friedrich.
Jasmund National Park, Sassnitz, Germany
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