Berliner Dom or Berlin Cathedral at night in central (mitte) Berlin in Germany. The first church Berliner Dom. The first church was built here in 1465. This rather modest building later served as the court church for the Hohenzollern family. The church was replaced by a cathedral, built between 1745 and 1747 in a Baroque design from Johann Boumann. It was remodeled into a classicist building from 1816 to 1822 following a design by the Berlin architect Karl Friedrich Schinkel. The East Side Tour focuses on the best-known sights along the river Spree in the eastern part of Berlin and includes some highlights in the government quarter as well. This 2.5-hour-cruise on the river Spree starts in the city centre near Hackescher Markt S-Bahn station and follows the Spree towards the east. The boat passes by Berliner Dom, Nikolaiviertel, Mühlendammschleuse, Jannowitzbrücke, the East Side Gallery and the indoor arena O2 World before passing through the well-known Oberbaumbrücke in Kreuzberg. The boat turns around at Osthafen and Elsenbrücke and starts back towards the west.