Juedisches Museum (Jewish Museum)

The largest of its kind in Europe, the Jewish Museum Berlin traces Jewish history from the end of the Roman Empire to the present. Daniel Libeskind designed the striking building and it commands at least as much attention as the exhibits. My tip would be to actually start with the main exhibition upstairs, which is massive and demands some time (the audio tour is a must). Afterwards, go back downstairs and experience Libeskind’s shattering architectural feat.

A lot has been written about his inspiration: some say the zigzagging shape of the building is reminiscent of a deconstructed Star of David; others note that Libeskind derived the building’s geometric form by plotting the addresses of prominent Jews on a map of pre-war Berlin; and parts of his architectural plan were written on composition paper (Libeskind is also a learned musician). However the equation of geometry, engineering and pure genius works out, the building is nothing short of a masterpiece. Constructed around the idea of the paths Germany’s Jews were forced to take in the 20th century, it features three axis: Emigration, Holocaust and Continuation. The one of emigration ends in the moving Garden of Exile; the one of Continuation in the long staircase that leads to the main exhibition; and the one of the Holocaust is a dead-end that terminates in a hollow tower. It’s dark, cold, empty and windowless except for a slit at the very top. After experiencing this Holocaust Tower, the absence of life, which is palpable in its stark forms, I had a hard time concentrating on the packed information of the permanent exhibition. To me, Libeskind managed to express the unspeakable better in absence and void than a million words ever could.

The Jewish Museum is one of the most powerful in the world and should be on anyone’s list in Berlin. After touring, have a break in the beautiful garden. There’s also a good restaurant on the premises.