Potsdamer Platz, Berlin

After the fall of the Wall in 1989, Potsdamer Platz turned from a deserted wasteland into Europe's biggest building site as urban planners worked to create an ultra-modern city center in the middle of a reunited Berlin. The only remnants of old Potsdamer Platz are the historic Haus Huth and the majestic Hotel Esplanade ballroom, which has been cleverly incorporated into the Sony Center. Approximately half of the area contains offices; the rest is divided between entertainment complexes like the IMAX and a fantastic shopping mall.