Easter in Berlin

Last year brought a new tourism record for the Easter weekend in Berlin – thanks to the sunny weather. This should be no surprise at all: the first warm rays of the sun awaken the spirit of adventure. The pleasure cruises start running, the new fresh greenery of the parks beckons you for a stroll, and from a cultural perspective there are several highlights taking place at the same time – the events surrounding the Frederick 300 theme year, the Gerhard Richter Panorama exhibition as well as the Berliner Festtage (Berlin Opera Festival).

Start of the pleasure cruise season

Berlin’s cityscape is literally criss-crossed by numerous rivers and waterways. Altogether, there are 1,700 bridges over water here, even more than in Venice! That’s why Berlin is often called the “Athens on the Spree”. In March the pleasure cruise season will begin. This is a wonderful (and unusual) way to discover the city. There’ll be a wide range of tours on offer, such as bridge cruises, historical sightseeing tours or trips into nature. There will be moderation or audio-guides available in many languages for international guests.

The biggest pleasure cruise company in Berlin, Stern und Kreisschiffahrt GmbH Berlin, invite you on Easter Sunday to a two-hour Easter brunch staring at 10:30 am in Treptow harbour. More information on this is available at: sternundkreis.de. As a Berlin WelcomeCard holder, you receive a 25% discount on all scheduled cruises with a 50% discount for children up to 14 years-of-age.

Easter time is opera time – the Berlin Festtage 2012

The Philharmonie and Schiller Theatre (used this year because of the restoration work currently going on in the State Opera House in Unter den Linden) are offering an outstanding Easter opera programme in the Berliner Festtage. Since they were started by Daniel Barenboim in 1996, the Festtage have established a reputation for top-quality concerts performed by internationally renowned artists. This year, the Schiller Theatre is being used for the second time together with the Philarhmonie. Centre stage will be the newly produced opera Lulu by Alban Berg. Accompanying this will be premieres of two of Richard Wagner’s works, Rheingold and Walküre (Valkyrie), the first two parts of the newly produced “Ring” cycle. Maurizio Pollini will conduct music by Beethoven and supplement it with contemporary music.

Exhibition highlights in April

As part of the 300th anniversary of the birth of Frederick the Great, numerous exhibitions and events are taking place in Berlin and Brandenburg dedicated to the Prussian King. The centre-piece exhibition Friederisiko. Friedrich der Große - Den großen Preußenkönig neu entdecken (Frederisiko. Frederick the Great - Rediscover the Great Prussian King) in the Neues Palais in Potsdam and the Palace Park of Sanssouci address the life and world view of the great monarch. More information on this fabulous jubilee year is available at our special website page.

This year, Gerhard Richter, one of the most famous German artists alive today, is celebrating his 80th birthday. For this special occasion, the Berlin Nationalgalerie (National Gallery) in conjunction with the Tate Modern Gallery in London and the Centre Pompidou in Paris are organising a comprehensive, retrospective exhibition of his œuvres. The Panorama exhibition will be presenting some 150 paintings taken from all his creative phases, with this incisive selection providing an insight into the artist’s multifaceted work.

The Roads of Arabia exhibition will be on display up to Easter Sunday in the Pergamon Museum. The exhibition illustrates the archaeological heritage of Saudi Arabia and following its showing in Paris, Barcelona and St. Petersburg is now on view in Berlin (the only place in Germany it will be shown). In this regard, German Railways have a Railway Special offer.

Spandau Citadel: the 6th Easter Knights’ Spectaculum

Every Easter, the Ritterfestspiele (Knights’ Festival) is held every year in the Spandau Citadel in the district of Haselhorst. From 7th to 9th April 2012 there’ll be plenty of knights, fakirs, fools and dancers on view in the well-preserved renaissance fortress to recreate a medieval atmosphere for visitors. There’ll also be hand-to-hand combats and the spectacle of knights jousting on horseback, numerous fire and acrobatic shows as well as small theatrical plays. Yet another highlight will be Walpurgis Night on 30th April, an occasion that used to be celebrated in Medieval Europe with plenty of nocturnal diableries in honour of Saint Walburga.

Berlin Frühlingsfest (Spring Festival)

From 30th March to 15th April the traditional Frülingsfest will be held at the Main Fairground at Kurt-Schumacher Damm to announce the coming of spring. Colourful rides, various stands with treats and a jumble sale will ensure the right kind of amusement park atmosphere. And over Easter a life-size bunny will be sharing out Easter eggs among the visitors.

Services at Easter

A Good Friday procession will take om Good Friday at 11am, start is at the Berliner Dom.

Protestant services at Berliner Dom:

Good Friday, April 6
10 am: Service
3pm: prayer
6pm: Organ concert
8.30pm: Service with Taizé songs

Saturday, April 7
10pm: Easter Vigil with Holy Communion and baptisms

Easter Sunday, April 8
10am: Service with Holy Communion
8pm: Concert Georg Friedrich Händel: Der Messias (extractions)

Easter Monday, April 9
10am: Cantata Service

Further information: www.berlinerdom.de

More Protestant services at Easter: www.ekbo.de

Catholic service at St. Hedwigs-Kathedrale Berlin:

Thursday, April 5
7pm: Commemoration of the Lord's Supper, Pontifical Mass, Eucharistic adoration

Good Friday, April 6
3am: Service

Saturday, April 7
9pm: Celebration of the Holy Easter Night

Easter Sunday, April 8
8am: Holy Mass
10am: Pontifical Mass
Noon: Holy Mass
4.30pm: Liturgical Vespers
6pm: Holy Mass

Easter Monday, April 9
8am: Holy Mass
10am: High Mass
Noon: Holy Mass
6pm: Holy Mass

Further information: www.hedwigs-kathedrale.de/domgemeinde/gottesdienste-zu-ostern-2012

More Catholic services: www.erzbistumberlin.de