Germany Tour, Day 7: Berlin, Day 4

Freitag, 8 Februar

Today was museum hopping day. I started out at the Pergamon Museum, dedicated to old Middle Eastern art and architecture. I rediscovered my love of Islamic-inspired architecture (they even had a roof-piece from La Alhambra):

Welcome to Museum Island, where all museums are within 5 minute max walking distance of one another. In other words, a museum lovers' paradise.

Welcome to Babylon. Babylonia Processional Gate.

Islamic altarpiece.

 

Prayer nook. The Islamic priest (?) would chant into the nook, which would act as a sounding board that reflects the sound back to listeners.

Then, I briefly visited the ancient Greek and Roman museum. My favorite part was the coin room, where coins progressed from stone slabs with figureheads on them (imagine carrying those around!) to more reasonable silver and golden medallions (no pics).

Beautiful exit-room chamber.

Finally, I found the much awaited and notable Bauhaus Archive Museum. I discovered that the Bauhaus movement is closely tied with the development and production of many familiar (and not so familiar) modern day chair designs:

The center, in Bauhaus style.

Hey, these look familiar! Originally created in the 1920-30s within the Bauhaus movement.

Artistically interesting yet practical: one of the central ideas of the Bauhaus movement.

"African Chair"

Meow!

But by far, the highlight of my day was seeing Annie-Sophie Mutter perform with the Berlin Philharmonic. I even got her autograph and a photo with her! Wohoo! Jaw-dropping concert:

 

Crazy modernist hall where it all happened.