Rocco Forte Hotel De Rome

Beautiful Classic Square

by nicolaitan

The Gendarmenmarkt is considered one of Europe's most beautiful squares, the name derived from a cavalry regiment named Gens d'Armes centered here between 1736-82. The original late 17th Century plan by Nering was altered by Georg Unger in 1777 incorporating the three buildings surrounding it. The oldest is the French cathedral built by immigrant Huegenots in 1701-5, modelled after a destroyed church in France. Second came the German cathedral at the south end of the square built between 1702-8 in the form of a pentagon by Simonetti with plans by Martin Grunberg. The churches were both different and not of architectural interest until 1785 when Carl Gontard added symmetric domes and columned porticos to each - today the facades appear essentially identical.
In 1821, Karl Friedrich Schinkel, Berlin's leading architect filled the west side of the square with the famed concert hall, fronted in the center of the square by a statue of the German poet Friedrich Schiller placed in 1871. Business buildings occupy the east side, also built in classic style. All the major buildings were severely damaged during WWII, with reconstruction to original plans extending into the 1990's. Today the churches feature museums and restaurants while the concert hall is the home venue for the Berlin Symphony Orchestra.

The surrounding area of Mitte has undergone rapid commercialization with trendy restaurants, shopping malls and boutiques and several very upscale hotels including the Sofitel, Hotel de Rome ( which is breathtaking), and a Hilton and is at the center of the most upscale renovations in the East Berlin Mitte area.

We chose to visit after dark - the square was deserted and we were alone with the atmospheric lighting of these famed buildings and the beauty of the square. As with Bebelplatz ( see below ) perhaps the best time to visit and reflect on the past.