Berlin

Berlin, Germany’s capital, dates to the 13th century. Reminders of the city's turbulent 20th-century
history include its Holocaust memorial and the Berlin Wall's graffitied remains. Divided during the Cold
War, its 18th-century Brandenburg Gate has become a symbol of reunification. The city is also known
for its art scene and modern landmarks like the gold-colored, swoop-roofed Berliner Philharmonie, built
in 1963.

The President of Germany, whose functions are mainly ceremonial under the German constitution, has
their official residence in Bellevue Palace.

Location: Berlin is in northeastern Germany, in an area of low-lying marshy woodlands with a mainly
flat topography, part of the vast Northern European Plain which stretches all the way from
northern France to western Russia.

Berlin's history has left the city with a polycentric organization and a highly eclectic array of
architecture and buildings. The city's appearance today is predominantly shaped by the key role it
played in Germany's history in the 20th century. Each of the national governments based in Berlin – the
Kingdom of Prussia, the 1871 German Empire, the Weimar Republic, Nazi Germany, East Germany, and
now the reunified Germany – initiated ambitious reconstruction programs, with each adding its own
distinctive style to the city's architecture.

Berlin is subdivided into 12 boroughs or districts (Bezirke).

German is the official and predominant spoken language in Berlin. It is a West Germanic language that
derives most of its vocabulary from the Germanic branch of the Indo-European language family.

According to the 2011 census, approximately 37 percent of the population reported being members of a
legally-recognized church or religious organization.