The Pope's Revenge

One of my favourite buildings in Germany is the TV Tower in Berlin. And on a sunny day, this tower becomes even more special: Look up to the silver tiled steel dome, and you'll see that the reflection of the sun forms the shape of a luminous cross - - a surprising effect that wasn't planned or even desired by the architects, who built the tower in 1965.

Back then, in the communist regime of East Germany, churches and religious institutions were suppressed, and so the divine reflection of the cross on the highest building in the city was nicknamed "The Pope's Revenge".

The TV Tower is a great place to start a Berlin walking tour - have a look at our Berlin Walking Tour through the historical center of Berlin.

(Photo by Mark Fosh)