The 103m-high Europa-Center shopping mall was Berlin’s first 'skyscraper' at its 1965 opening, the giant Mercedes star spinning on its rooftop a symbol of capitalist West Germany's miraculous post-WWII economic recovery. Today, the gracefully ageing structure has 70 shops and exudes charming retro flair, enlivened by such quirky sights as the Lotus Fountain and the ingenious Time-Flow Clock by French physicist-artist Bernard Gitton.
You can catch the lift to the 20th floor to enjoy the panorama or get an eyeful of pretty people and Berlin at the swish Puro Sky Lounge. Europa-Center was built on the site of the Romanisches Cafe, a popular hangout of 1920s artists and intellectuals.