GDR Filming Locations
GDR Filming Locations
Moscow, on the Moskva River in western Russia, is the nation’s cosmopolitan capital. In its historic core is the Kremlin, a complex that’s home to the president and tsarist treasures in the Armoury. Outside its walls is Red Square, Russia's symbolic center. It's home to Lenin’s Mausoleum, the State Historical Museum's comprehensive collection and St. Basil’s Cathedral, known for its colorful, onion-shaped domes.
Kaliningrad is the capital of the Russian province of the same name, sandwiched between Poland and Lithuania along the Baltic Coast. Dubbed Königsberg during centuries of Prussian rule, the city was largely reconstructed after WWII. Traces of its German heritage can be seen in the surviving Brandenburg Gate and the riverside Fishing Village, a dining and shopping destination with re-created medieval-style buildings.
Vyborg is a town in western Russia, close to the Finnish border. Set on an island in Vyborg Bay, Vyborg Castle was built in the 13th century by Swedes. Today it houses a regional history museum. To the southeast, Hermitage-Vyborg Center exhibits paintings and artifacts from the State Hermitage Museum collection in St. Petersburg. Northwest of town, landscaped Monrepos Park is dotted with monuments and grottoes.
Berlin, Germany’s capital, dates to the 13th century. Reminders of the city's turbulent 20th-century history include its Holocaust memorial and the Berlin Wall's graffitied remains. Divided during the Cold War, its 18th-century Brandenburg Gate has become a symbol of reunification. The city's also known for its art scene and modern landmarks like the gold-colored, swoop-roofed Berliner Philharmonie, built in 1963.
Minsk is the capital and the largest city of Belarus, located on the Svislach and the now subterranean Niamiha rivers. As the capital, Minsk has a special administrative status in Belarus and is the administrative centre of Minsk Region and Minsk District.
Grodno is a city in western Belarus, near the Polish and Lithuanian borders. By the Neman River, the Old Castle is a Renaissance palace on the site of an 11th-century fort. Nearby, the New Castle was built in the 18th century as a royal residence. The 12th-century Kalozha Church of Sts. Boris and Gleb is adorned with polished stones and majolica tiles. The St. Francis Xavier Cathedral features an ornate carved altar.
Brest is a city in southwest Belarus on the Polish border. The 19th-century Brest Hero Fortress is a celebrated site of Soviet resistance during WWII. The fortress complex includes a museum, bullet-riddled Kholmsk Gate and the huge Thirst Monument, depicting a parched soldier. Nearby, the open-air Railway Museum displays historic locomotives. Berestye Archaeological Museum preserves a 13th-century Slavic village.
Istanbul is a major city in Turkey that straddles Europe and Asia across the Bosphorus Strait. Its Old City reflects cultural influences of the many empires that once ruled here. In the Sultanahmet district, the open-air, Roman-era Hippodrome was for centuries the site of chariot races, and Egyptian obelisks also remain. The iconic Byzantine Hagia Sophia features a soaring 6th-century dome and rare Christian mosaics.
GDR (2024)
Mikhail Gorbachyov, the Soviet leader, initiates reforms aiming to revitalize the USSR. His desire for global prominence leads to perestroika, triggering the collapse of the Eastern Bloc and eventually the Soviet Union itself.
