Unter den Linden, Berlin

I found it a very interesting building. Since I am learning Russian, which I consider a really hard work (!!!) I wanted to take a picture in front of it, with Erika, a Greek friend of mine, who also took a Russian course with me!!

Built by Schinkel 1816-18. the interior was repeatedly redecorated in 1931, 1969 and 1993. The present form follows H. Tessenows 1931 design. Showing the enlarged sculpture of a mourning mother by Käthe Kollowitz, it functions since 1993 as a memorial to the victims of the war and tyranny.

Alte Bibliothek (Old library) Because of its rounded façade the old library, now belonging to Humboldt-University, is called by the Berliners’ “Kommode” (Chest of drawers).It was built from 1774 to 1780 and rebuilt after WW2. The project was originally by Johann Bernhard Fischer Von Erlach, which conceived it 20 years before for a Viennese castle.

In the project of Georg Wenzeslaus Knobelsdorff the square had to represent the artistic and spiritual centre of the monarchy, with the Opera (the only project, which was carried out), a new palace and the Arts Academy. Here on May 11 1933 the Nazis burned the books considered against Germany; a trapdoor in the concrete reminds the event; from it you see a white room with empty book shelves.

The street tells three centuries of Berliners’ history. Before WW1 it was the most beautiful street of the German Capital, with a length of 1,2 km; marked out in 1647 by Frederick Wilhelm, it was enlarged a century later by Frederick the Great, which added four rows of lime-trees. The trees were pulled down by the nazis to create space for military parades. The trees that are there now were planted after WW2, to let the street regain its ancient splendour and to keep away the memories of the lost war. Many destroyed palaces were rebuilt by the Socialist State which moved here many Governmental buildings. 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, St.Hedwig cathedral, the Komische Oper and Hotel Adlon are located here.

Pariser Platz, the square at Brandenburg Gate marks the end of our trip down Unter den Linden. Here you will not only find Brandenburg Gate but also the fancy Hotel Adlon, the French embassy, several banks and Frank O. Gehry's DG Bank building. At the moment you also find a giant football here - it was opened 1000 days before the 2006 world cup ---- one day after I had been there ;-)

I love the architecture of the Russian embassy with its clear structure and its statues along the tower. Very exotic I think! It was build in the 1950s when the USSR of course needed a representative building in East Berlin.

My friend and I almost collapsed when we saw the wonderfully designed window of Aeroflot at Unter den Linden. We walked along here on 11 September 2003 and there was a model plane in the window which was attached by strings..... only problem was that it looked like it was just crashing down, one string must have given up work ;)

Anyway, I like the Aeroflot building somehow as it is the ugly duckling under all the swans of Unter den Linden.