Unter den Linden is the most famous boulevard in Berlin and our plan is to hike from one end, the Brandenburger Tor to the other end, the Berliner Dom. Or at least that is what we assume are the two ends. For certain the Brandenburger Tor looks like the end with the street on the other side continuing through Tiergarten Park to the Victory Column.
The Brandenburger Tor/Brandenburg Gate is a symbol of Berlin built in the 18th century and separated by the Berlin Wall for decades from both the East and West. But now you can visit it and even pass through it and it is one of the most popular attractions in the city.
From here the Unter den Linden boulevard starts in earnest passing near the French embassy and continuing past impressive buildings and expensive shops as we make our way east.
After a short pedestrian stretch the boulevard also receives two roads on both sides of the middle large pedestrian area so we have to decide whether to walk in the middle or on the sides. We decide in the middle for now, it is easier to admire the buildings on both sides. Like the Aeroflot building, uhm Aeroflot here, now? We find out it is only a former building from where tickets were sold during Communist times and afterwards but now it is closed due to sanctions for the war in Ukraine.
Nearby is the Russian embassy which as usual in Europe has a small shrine remembering people that were killed by the current regime. Not sure if it is even used now and we would not be sad if Russia would be punished significantly for starting multiple wars just for fun.
Next is the Humboldt University with part of the campus located in magnificent buildings right in the middle of Berlin. The University is quite famous with Einstein having taught here and over 57 Nobel prize laureates being either faculty or alumni.
Next is the Bebelplatz square, quite impressive but also quite infamous. It was originally named Opernplatz, Opera Square, and built in the 18th century and it has become infamous as the place for the 1933 Nazi Book burning when Nazis burned over 20,000 volumes of un-German literature, likely from the Bibliothek right in the square.
It is worth to remember that this was the center of Prussian and then German imperial power, in fact many of the landmarks like the University and the Plazas were built by the Prussian kings and emperors. And as such of course here are also the Crown Prince’s Palace and the former Royal Palace now the Humboldt Forum. Their recent history is a bit different though, the Crown Prince’s Palace was used as a museum after the monarchy was abolished in 1918 and then after being damaged in World War 2 it was rebuilt in the late 1960s and now hosts events and exhibitions. The Royal Palace however after being used for government functions after 1918 and being damaged in World War 2 has been razed in 1950 and the DDR parliament, the Palace of the Republic, was built on the site. That itself was razed in 2009 after unification and years of debate and the Berlin Palace was rebuilt housing now the Humboldt Forum museum.
And then we are at the end of our walk, in the Lustgarten, Pleasure Park, flanked by the Altes Museum that we will not be able to visit during this visit and the Berliner Dom, our next goal of our walk and described separately.
