5 towns you would never think of when you hear 'Berlin'
Antje Binder db
March 17, 2017
Berliners may not like to hear this, but their city isn't unique - at least not the name. Worldwide, more than 100 towns and villages are called after the German capital.
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5 towns you would never think of when you hear the name 'Berlin'
Berliners may not like to hear this, but their city isn't unique - at least not the name. Worldwide, more than 100 towns and villages are called after the German capital.
Centro Berlin, Bolivia
Lamas are essential in this tiny Berlin namesake village, keeping its 10 inhabitants warm with socks, hats and coats to fend off the cold. Bolivian Berliners also like lama steak, which can be kept for two to three months without refrigeration when sun-dried. It is the reason people used to live up to the age of 110, the old folks say.
Berlin, Ohio
Most towns called Berlin can be found in the US - for instance in the Midwestern state of Ohio. Two German Berliners founded the town in 1816. Some of the town's 3,000 inhabitants still live without electricity, phones or the internet even today: that part of Ohio is Amish country.
Berlin, Russia
If you plan to visit Berlin in Russia, you will need a special permit, as the town is situated in southern Russia at the border with Kazakhstan, a forbidden zone. Here, Cossacks once shielded Russia from Tatar attacks. During the Seven Years' War in the 18th century, Russian troops moved across western Europe, and also occupied Berlin - which is how the city's name made its way back to Russia.
Berlin, Guinea
This Berlin is in northern Guinea, along the border to Mali. Legend has it that a Guinean once brought the name home as a "souvenir" of the German capital. The West African state's Berlin has about 350 inhabitants, who make their living in agriculture or try their luck mining for gold.
Berlin Harbor, Papua New Guinea
The name is a reminder of colonial times, and is rarely used these days. Between 1899 and 1914, a few islands off Papua New Guinea were German, and the colonial rulers named one town and island Berlinhafen, or Berlin Harbor. Today, they are known under their former names: Aitape and Tumleo.
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If anyone ever dreamt up the exact opposite of Berlin, it would be this village in the Bolivian Andes by the name of Centro Berlin. It is worlds away from the hectic life in the German capital. Far and wide, there is nothing but a semi-desert, and the next largest town is 200 kilometers away.
Centro Berlin's 10 inhabitants raise lamas for a living, about 100 animals each. If you crave solitude, this is the place to go.
Where did the hamlet get its name? Bolivia's Berliners have two theories. Some say it goes back to a tourist from Berlin who was stranded in the village for a day in 1949 when his bike had a flat tire, leaving such an impression that the villagers named their place after the unusual visitor from Germany.
Same name, different pace
Another legend has it that one day, a plane made an emergency landing near the village. A few Berliners on board survived, and were provided for by the villagers. Having never seen a plane before, they took it as a heavenly sign to rename their village Centro Berlin.
Whatever the true origins of the name of the Bolivian village, there are at least 100 other towns across the globe named Berlin, and they all have their own legends and stories.
Click through the gallery above to discover more Berlins.
