Monument is a funny word. It is so often used to describe fancy
palaces, statues, arches and random pointed pillars that ascend out of the
ground and have names etched on them. The word conjures stand-alone pieces
of architecture that perform no function whatsoever but to remind people
of something that happened long ago that no one quite remembers. But for me, monuments are all around us; everywhere we
turn, reminding us constantly of days gone by.
A monument is anything that contains at least some history of the society
it was created in. A monument is an object or building that makes one’s
imagination run wild with the “I wonder who lived here” or the “I wonder what kinds
of things happened here”. A monument is a piece of the past preserved in the
present that emulates mystery as well as meaning to those with an active imagination.
I have just celebrated my 2nd Berlin Birthday and to mark this rather wonderful occasion I have decided to do
what no other expat has ever decided to do – and start a blog about Berlin ;):
more specifically, a blog about the history contained in the nooks and crannies
and crevices of this great city. In the stadiums, the derelict houses, the old
Stasi prisons, the airports and streets that drip with history for those who search for it.
So if you love the idea of buildings oozing out past encounters, of
streets revealing their deepest secrets and parks innocently lying atop the
ruins of a past city centre then read on! This blog will be as much homage to a
great city, as a fact checked exploration of days gone by.
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