Unter den Linden
Berlin's magnificent boulevard, the
centrepiece of the Old Berlin, leads from Pariser Platz at the
Brandenburg Tor to the Schlossbrücke bridge. Unter den Linden
was originally a bridle path: from 1573, it led from Berlin
Palace to Lietzow, later Charlottenburg, and then on to Spandau.
From 1701, the Linden became more and more built up, mirroring
the rising splendor of the monarchy and the new architectural
style. As time went by, the Zeughaus (Arsenal) and the
Friedrichstadt appeared; under Frederick the Great, they were
joined by the Kronprinzenpalais, the Prinzessinnenpalais, the
Opera house and the Palace for Prince Heinrich, now the Humboldt
University. The Forum Friedericanium begun at the end of the 18th
century, was to be the intellectual and artistic centre of the
monarchy, with the Staatoper, the Academy Library, St. Hedwig's
Cathedram and, on the opposite site, the Palace of Prince
Heinrich.
Schinkel's great architectural
achievement was the unification of the various buildings and
styles into a single aesthetic concept: this led to the creation
of the Neue Wache (New Guardhouse), the Schlossbrücke bridge and
the redesigned Lustgarten; in this way, Unter den Linden became a
coherent ensemble. At the end of the 19th century, the
Berliner Dom was constructed in the eclectic Wilhelmine style.
During the Second World War, Hitler
ordered the linden trees to be chopped down so that the road
could be widened and integrated into the east-west axes; by the
end of the war the avenue was a wasteland of ruins. Those
buildings which still stood were gradually reconstructed, but the
real work of rebuilding, which included the demolition of the
Stadtschloss (Berlin Palace), only began in earnest in 1958.
Sleek, 1960s buildings with uniform façades began to appear. The
place of the former Berlin Palace was taken by the Palast der
Republik (Palace of the Republic) which had to be closed in the
nineties due to its intoxication with asbestos. Since the Fall of
the Wall, many buildings have been restored and reconstructed.
The Lustgarten, previously used as parade grounds, has been
redesigned as a garden in accordance with Lenné's plans.
Click on the
small pictures to get a larger version.
| Brandenburger Tor |
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| Palace
of Prince Heinrich |
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| Die
Schlossbrücke bridge - The castle bridge |
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| Museum |
Channels |
Berlin Rathaus |
Neptun |
Chruch |
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