Unter den Linden, Berlin

This historic Berliner avenue crosses the campus of Humboldt-University. The buiding on the picture is one of University complex, a former palace of prince Henry. The Humboldt statue in front of the main entrance was donated by La Habana University and gives Humboldt the title of "segundo descubridor de Cuba". Marx and Engels studied here and Albert Einstein teached at Humboldt also.

Esta historica avenida berlinesa cruza el campus de la Universidad Humboldt. El edificio de la foto es uno de los del complejo universitario, originariamente un palacio del principe Enrique. La estatua de Humboldt que hay delante de la entrada principal fue donada por la Universidad de La Habana y otorga a Humboldt el titulo de "segundo descubridor de Cuba". Marx y Engels fueron alumnos de esta Universidad y Albert Einstein impartio clases aqui.

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Bebelplatz is a special square to hold on your visit for half an hour
Main attractions are :
The Humboldt-University
The Hedwigs Kathedrale
The staple of books
In 1933, Nazi Minister for Propaganda Joseph Goebbels began to synchronize culture, by which the arts were brought in line with Nazi goals. The government purged cultural organizations of Jews and others alleged to be politically or artistically suspect. The works of leading German writers such as Bertold Brecht, Thomas Mann Lion Feuchtwanger and Alfred Kerr were thrown in to flames in a book burning ceremony in Berlin.

The writer Heinrich Heine wrote long before this ceremony (see plate):
“Dort, wo man Bücher verbrennt, verbrennt man am Ende auch Menschen“"Where they burn books, they will end in burning human beings."

You MUST walk down the Unter Der Linden. It stretches from the Berliner Dom to the Brandenburg Tor. There are a number of restraurants and bars that are definately worth stopping for a mid-day break. The cafes scattered in the middle center median are a relaxing way to take a break from the sight seeing. This is the transition from east to west.

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It is good to have a walk along the Karl Libkneht street and Unter den Linden "street under lindens". It was the most well-known parkway of Germany in days of Fridrich the Second. The monument in his honour is installed here.

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Unter Den Linden is Berlin's main street, which goes all the way from Alexanderplatz TV Tower to Brandenburg Gate and the Reichstag building.

It is best to walk it by foot, at list the part between Humbult University and Brandenburg gate (about 1 hour walk). Humbult U. is where Marx learnt and Einstein teached, and along the way from there to Brandenburg Gate there are lots of beautiful buildings ans statues. Also, there's a Max Ernst artwork.

But the best part in Unter Den Linden for me was Cafe Einstein, where you can order a ONCE IN A LIFE TIME apple shtrudel - and I'm not kidding. they laso make very good coffee, and great breakfasts. on a sunny day, this makes a wonderful pitstop.

This is one of the most famous streets in Berlin, leading to Brandenburger Tor [or the Door, as Holli & I called it... ;)], the big gate symbolizing unification of the two Germanies. I'd suggest taking the S-bahn to Unter den Linden stop & just walking around there for a bit, checking out the small streets & the University, getting to another sight [the Reichstag is just a minute away from the Tor] or simply sitting for a coffee (or a beer, hehe) & a sausage...

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Along Unter den Linden there are several buildings that belong to the University! Maybe the most famous one is Humboldt Universität, where I even managed to attend an International Students Welcome Party. ;) Most of the time [especially during the weekend] there's a Flohmarkt, where you can find all kinds of books, dictionaries, comics aso. Hollie & me found some interesting covers like 'The Woman of Today', 'The Three Degrees of Erotic', 'Happy Pocketbook' aso [see photos]. ;)

On the eastern end of Unter den Linden, gathered around the monument to Friedrich the Great we find some of the most important buildings in Berlin. It is amazing to compare what we have today with images showing the 1945 postwar rubble and it must be admit that the former GDR has put a lot of effort, time and money to reconstruct all these historic buildings.

Humboldt University today occupies the building that was originally palace of Friedrich the Great's brother. After Wilhelm Humboldt established the University here in 1809 this was the house of some of Berlin's best brains including Karl Marx, Karl Liebknecht and Albert Einstein.

When I was here a small market of used books was held in front of the main entrance and it made a nice contrast with the Neoclassical facade of the University building.