Berlin:

In 1989 the government of Berlin together with the United States foreign office decided to move the US embassy from its location in the suburbs back to the city center where it was located before World War II. The original building had been destroyed during the war. The empty site is now framed by the symbol of Berlin: the Brandenburger gate on one side, and a new building for the DZ Bank on the other.

In 1995 a competition was held for the new building and the embassy was moved to a provisional address in the area. The consulate stayed in the suburbs.

Nowadays due to new security measures at the American consulate one may only enter the building without bags. Anything that is not necessary for the application of visas is prohibited. The cloakroom, which used to be on the grounds of the building is now located at a sandwich bar in the metro station on the other side of the street. The owner of the sandwich bar is taking care of bags while preparing sandwiches and coffee. On their way back from the consulate some people stop for a snack. The owner seems to be happy with this new arrangement. He has found new customers.

Meanwhile the situation in Berlin city center appears to be different. Here is where the fashionable Café Einstein is located. They are not altogether happy. Especially during the summer when customers have to face concrete and metal fences watched by surveillance cameras. This creates an absurd atmosphere.

The land for the new embassy is still empty. In the near future the large fire wall, will be replaced by a new building. Today however, the whole site is closed even to pedestrians. The United States of America fears actions of terror.

And so for the past 2 years driving in Berlin city center has become a very confusing affair. Any street could be blocked by large concrete blocks.

The traffic system needs to be re-organized everyday adapting to new barricades according to the changing daily political situation. Bombs in Madrid mean new fences in Berlin, they mean a different way home and a higher number of policemen on the streets.

The people of Berlin are accustomed to the situation. They have adapted to the permanent crisis area surrounding the US embassy site close to the largest boulevard in the city. Only a few locals bother to take an interest now. But the tourists do stop. Some ask questions, some look scared (especially the children) and some take pictures. They will be reminded by the police that it is forbidden to take photographs.

In spring 2004 at the still empty site of the future embassy in Berlin a number of boys were playing football. Instead of the usual field in the nearby park they had stopped to play here. Well, it is not a bad place for playing soccer, not too many trees, nearly the size of a football field, and of course much more exclusive being situated in the city center as opposed to a park ...

Tehran:

In early November 2001, the former US embassy in Tehran was opened to visitors. This happened nearly 22 years after the embassy was occupied by a group of radical students in November 1979.

For 10 days people could enter the compound and had the chance to visit the site of the old building. Fresh grass and flowers decorated the southern courtyard, prepared weeks before by the workers of the municipality. Visitors were able to enter the embassy building and watch the code room and telecommunications center protected by nine inch thick steel doors still bearing US federal notices. The interior of the main building was freshly painted in light green, "good for the spirits and a sense of peace" the guide noted. Younger people could take a closer look at what most of them only knew from television and newspapers. For ten days the place became a museum.

In former times when the Americans were still in Tehran the building was rather ironically referred to by people as ‘Henderson High’ after ambassador Loy Henderson. In those days the embassy had appeared more like a high school, and not so much an official and intimidating representative of a foreign power. Now the Pasdaran (revolutionary guard) use the place as a location for their training academy.

The street in front of the old embassy seems to be normal with heavy traffic as everywhere else in Tehran. Only the colorful graffiti on the walls catch the eye. On closer inspection however, it becomes clear why this special fence became famous as protection for the "Den of spies". Sometimes you can see tourists posing in front of the fence, using it as a background for their souvenir pictures.

The US embassy in Tehran, is not an embassy any more. But it is an address recognized by every taxi- driver. You can use it to orientate yourself in the city. While in Berlin if you ask someone for the US embassy you might get the answer: which one do you mean? The old one or the new one .. or the one in the suburbs.

Vesta Nele Zareh, is German/Iranian, studies architecture and lives in Berlin.