GENDARMENMARKT

Description

Essentials about the Gendarmenmarkt in brief

The Gendarmenmarkt is generally considered the most beautiful square in Berlin. Some even claim that it is the most beautiful square north of the Alps. The ensemble of buildings consisting of the Konzerthaus (Concert Hall) in the center, framed by the two church buildings of the German and French Cathedral adorned with domes is indeed of perfect harmony and a visit to the Gendarmenmarkt should therefore not be missing on any sightseeing tour through Berlin.

The history and the buildings of Gendarmenmarkt

The approximately three-hectare square is located in the middle of the Friedrichstadt district created on the drawing board by Frederick I at the end of the 17th century. The Gendarmenmarkt owes its name to the “Gens d’armes of the Cuirassier Regiment,” whose stables were located on the square before it was demolished. Huguenots (French Protestants) who had fled from France to Prussia lived mainly in Friedrichstadt, which is why there is a church on Gendarenmarkt for both the French Reformed congregation and the Lutheran congregation. Between the two churches, the third magnificent building was the new Schauspielhaus, now the Konzerthaus Berlin. Centrally on the square in front of the Concert Hall is a statue of the poet Friedrich Schiller.

After World War II, the square was a pile of rubble and was renamed Platz der Akademie. It was not until the 1970s that the Gendarmenmarkt was rebuilt in its current form. The Gendarmenmarkt only regained its original name after German reunification. Today, the Gendarmenmarkt is the venue for major events, such as the Classic Open Air in summer and the Christmas Market in winter.