Berlin Numbers – 11 crazy Berlin facts
More kebab shops than Istanbul and more bridges than Venice – Berlin is full of surprises! And even though you probably already know a lot of things about the German capital, learning never stops. This is why we’re happy to present you 11 crazy facts about Berlin that you didn’t know yet. So no matter if you want to tickle that thrill of anticipation for your next trip to Berlin or you’re just the kind of person who gets a kick out of annoying their friends with fun facts about basically anything – here are some things you probably don’t need to (but still should) know about Berlin:
Roughly 1,600…
…kebab shops line the streets of Berlin – that’s more than in Istanbul! While kebab-style roasted meat has been around for millenia, the idea to put it into a pita sandwich with salad is actually a Berlin original and not from Turkey. Doner kebab has been served since 1972 and these days no less than 60 tons of kebab meat are consumed in Berlin every single day.
There are 180…
…museums in the German capital. On the average, it rains on 106 days every year. So even if you used every rainy day of the year to visit one museum, you would have still seen just over half of them.
For almost 400 years…
…Berlin’s oldest restaurant has been running. The establishment of tavern Zur letzten Instanz in what is now Berlin Mitte dates back to the year 1621. Even Napoleon once sat next to the cozy tiled stove and was served soup. That’s how old this place is. But no worries, everything they cook is fresh and actually really good, so go for it.
437,925…
…trees are found in the parks and along the streets of the German capital. More than a third are lime trees, thus Berlin’s most famous avenue “Unter den Linden” (“Beyond the Limes”) is somewhat eponymous for the entire town. And yes, it’s somebody’s job to actually count them. All of them. If that isn’t German, what is? Just as impressive: roughly 44% of the city are green areas, making Berlin one of the greenest and close-to-nature cities in the world.
Some 2.2 km long…
…ist the world’s longest biergarten – which can be found every year in August on Karl-Marx-Allee during Berlin International Beer Festival. About 340 breweries from 87 countries serve over 2,400 different kinds of beer here. Cheers!
Not one, not two, but three…
…full-fledged opera houses exist in Berlin – that’s more than any other city in the world has. Staatsoper, Deutsche Oper, and Komische Oper make for a total of almost 600 opera performances every year. That’s top of the world – shared with Vienna.
No less than 1,700…
…bridges span across the rivers, canals, and railroad tracks of the German capital. Fun fact: Berlin has more bridges than Venice. In fact, there are only two cities in Europe with more bridges: Amsterdam and Hamburg.
16 times around the world…
…is the distance that all trains and busses of the Berlin Travel Authority (BVG) cover every day – that’s approximately 2.28 billion kilometers per year. Subway, busses, trams, and ferries carry more than 1 billion passengers annually – metro trains not included.
People from 185 different countries…
…live in the German capital – that’s only 8 short of absolutely all countries that exist. Berlin is a melting pot of races, cultures, and religions, something that is apparent almost everywhere you go in this city. By the way, the overwhelming majority of the 3.5 million residents are decidedly pro-immigration. Open-mindedness is of great importance here.
70 million…
…currywursts are being sold annually in Berlin. The scalded sausage has been served with spicy curry ketchup since 1949 when a smart snack stand owner invented the street food classic in Berlin Charlottenburg. Currywurst is Berlin’s most iconic snack – even a Currywurst Museum exists.
Roughly 50,000 people…
…go out and party at a club in Berlin during an average weekend. Techno clubs are most successful here, making Berlin the techno capital of the world. There are approximately 120 nightclubs in town, and that’s without concert venues, live-music bars, and other venues. There’s no curfew or closing day, you can party every night of the week – and even during the day. Some clubs, like Kater Blau, are open non-stop from Friday through Monday.
picture: Datei: #163588842 | Urheber: rh2010 – fotolia
