Unter den Linden, Berlin

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The ex GDR parliament building was built on the grounds of the former castle of Berlin. The people called it "Erich's Lampenladen" which means "lamp shop of Erich Honecker" because of all its ugly lamps and lights. Now it is falling apart, dead ugly and full of asbestos!

The ruins are still there but I bet they won't be for a long time. There's plans to rebuild the old castle (which has been destryoed in the 1950s) here some day.

I wish they would preserve the Palast though. It belongs to much as much as the TV tower at Alexanderplatz or the ugly Europa Center does. The renovations of East Berlin already took a lot of charme of the east away. Plus the building would be perfect for bars, concerts, exhibitions. (see my additional pictures to see how great a lounge currently looks in there). Why do we need a castle, anyway. We don't have an emperor anymore. Who should reside there? Franz Beckenbauer?

Next to the Humboldt University there is another grandiose building dating from late 19th century. It houses state library in Berlin, once the main Prussian and later main GDR library today it is one of two main libraries in Berlin (yes, that's possible in a city that is still recovering from recent division).

If you peek inside you'll find "Ivy League" courtyard with a fountain in the middle. Many students from the nearby University come here to study and there is also a small cafe here where you can enjoy your coffee in this calm oasis away from the Unter den Linden.

This Berlin's most elegant boulevard flanked by linden trees starts at the Brandenburg Gate and stretches over the Schloss Bridge to the Schloss Platz. It is one of grand urban gestures done by Friedrich Wilhelm and was the main axis of the Prussian metropolis.

In the 1930s Nazis replaced linden trees with flagposts, and the boulevard was replanted again after the war but with the establishment of the wall on its western edge it lost most of its meaning. On the other hand, we can thank East Germans that this wasn't turned into another pedestrian street with Kaufhof and Woolworth department stores like so many others in other (West) German cities that were subject to heavy bombings. Slowly but carefully GDR has put a lot of efforts to reconstruct most of the historic buildings from the war debris and today big works (still going on here) are in fact only make up efforts to make this grand boulevard shine in all its monumental glory.

The eastern part of the Unter den Linden is the most interesting with some of Berlin's best public buildings built around former Forum Fridericianum which stood approximately where the State Opera stands today.

Berlin's magnificent boulevard, the centrepiece of the Old Berlin, leads from Pariser Platz at the »Brandenburg Gate 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 Fridericianum, begun at the end of the 18th century, was to be the intellectual and artistic centre of the monarchy, with the »Staatsoper, the Academy Library, »St. Hedwig's Cathedral 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.
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.

Berlin's magnificent boulevard, the centrepiece of the Old Berlin, leads from Pariser Platz at the »Brandenburg Gate 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.

Staatsoper (State Opera House) is one of many historic buildings to be viewed on a walk down Unter din Linden. Completed in 1743, re-built post WW2. Both the exterior and interior of the building have some great classic features, take the time to study the reliefs on the front of the building. A full schedule of opera, ballet, concerts and festivals is available to you when in Berlin. Guided tours of the opera house and stage area in German are available for booking, separate group tours in German, English, French and Italian are possible. Note that directly behind Staatsoper Unter den Linden is St-Hedwigs Kathedrale (St Hedwig's Cathederal) which is well worth a detour from you walk down Unter den Linden to view, the interior is very special also. St-Hedwigs Kathedrale completed in 1778 is the Catholic Cathederal of the Roman Archdioces of Berlin, you cannot miss it's large dome. Bebelplatz, a town square, is right next door also.

Unter den Linden has been described as Berlin's grandest boulevard. It is definitely a beautiful street. Shops and restaurants line both sides and there is a walking path in the middle. Follow it one way and you end up at the Brandenburg Gate, follow it the other and you end up close to the Berliner Dom.

The historic avenue of "Unter den Linden", which means Beneathe the Limetrees, leads out of the former center of the city (in the East), up to the Brandenburger Tor. Along this course of nearly a mile it is bordered by royal palaces,. by famous theaters, libraries, museums and by international consulates. The avenue crosses the campus of Humboldt-University and is crossed by the shopping mile of Friedrichstrasse. The national library, the Neue Wache, the museum of German history, the national Opera, the Opernpalais, the St. Hedwig's cathedral, the Komische Oper and Hotel Adlon are located here.