March 2017

Gendarmenmarkt

In my opinion, the "Gendarmenmarkt" is Berlin's most beautiful square and monument at the same time. It was first built in 1688 as a marketplace to expand the city further. Between 1701 and 1705, the older one of the two churches, The French Church was built. The German Church followed in 1708 and belonged to the Lutheran community. The Konzerthaus located between both churches was built by Karl Friedrich Schinkel in 1821. Most buildings in this area were destroyed during World War II and rebuild after the German Re-unification. Today the Concert hall is the home of the Konzerthaus Orchestra, the German church is a museum of German history and the French Church has a viewing platform, a restaurant, and a Huguenot museum. For me, it is a beautiful spot to visit, spend some time and soak up the Berlin atmosphere, take stunning photos and visit one of the best Christmas markets in Berlin during the course of December.