Gendarmenmarkt
Berlin's most beautiful square is being renovated
The Gendarmenmarkt is currently being renovated and made fit for the future. An underground network of pipes, barrier-free historic paving and a sustainable new rainwater drainage system will ensure that a visit to one of Berlin's most beautiful squares will once again be a pleasure for everyone.
And very soon: the construction work is well advanced and is expected to be completed by the end of this year. Until then, the great offerings of the surrounding magnificent historic buildings will continue to be available to all visitors: whether you want to listen to one of the first-class concerts in the Konzerthaus, learn interesting facts about the history of German democracy in the Deutscher Dom or experience the 360° panorama over Berlin on the viewing platform of the Französischer Dom and then indulge in culinary delights there afterwards.... A visit to Gendarmenmarkt is also worthwhile in 2024!
Perfect harmony
It’s said to be the most beautiful public square in Berlin, and perhaps the most beautiful north of the Alps. The ensemble of the concert house and two church buildings embellished with towers is in perfect harmony. In summer, orchestras play the most beautiful classical melodies at the Classic Open Air, and in winter the square transforms into a winter wonderland with a Christmas market. This year, however, these romantic events will have to move to other locations, with the Christmas market taking place on nearby Bebelsplatz.
Star violinist at the Konzerthaus
Star violinist Julia Fischer will be a guest soloist with the famous Academy of St Martin in the Fields at the Konzerthaus Berlin on May 10. On the programme: Beethoven's Violin Romances, Bartók's Divertimento and Schubert's Fifth.
Once, soldiers matched here: The history of Gendarmenmarkt
The Friedrichstadt quarter was built by Friedrich I at the end of the 17th century according to plans by Johann Arnold Nering. Its main residents were Huguenot refugees from France, which is why the French Protestant community was given one church on the square, and the Lutheran congregation the other. The square got its name from the “Gens d’armes” cuirassier regiment, whose stables there were demolished by Friedrich II. Between the two churches, a new theatre, now known as the Konzerthaus Berlin, was built.
Right in the middle of the square, in front of the Konzerthaus, is a statue of the poet Friedrich Schiller. It was not until twelve years after the foundation stone was laid that the monument was unveiled. After the Second World War, the square lay in ruins. In the 1970s, the East Berlin government had it rebuilt in its current form. Having been renamed Platz der Akademie in 1950, Gendarmenmarkt got its old name back in 1991 after reunification.
A dome, not a church
Gendarmenmarkt took on its current form under Friedrich II – with a harmonious architectural ensemble planned by Georg Christian Unger. Carl von Gontard embellished both the Französische Friedrichstadtkirche and the Lutheran church with almost over-dimensioned domed towers. Although the towers are called the Deutscher Dom and the Französischer Dom (“Dom” means “cathedral” in German), they are not churches. They are simply called that after the French word for a dome.
Today, the Deutscher Dom houses the Parliamentary History Exhibition of the German Bundestag, which is dedicated to the development of parliamentary democracy in Germany. The Französischer Dom contains the Huguenot Museum. The lower part of the building is still the Französische Friedrichstadtkirche.
A famous resident – E.T.A. Hoffmann
The poet E.T.A. Hoffmann once lived here at Gendarmenmarkt and captured the hustle and bustle of the city in his story Des Vetters Eckfenster. He liked to celebrate in the Lutter & Wegner wine bar, which is still a restaurant on Gendarmenmarkt today. It is here that his friend, the actor Ludwig Devrient, is said to have created the word “Sekt” as a corruption of the word.
Classic Open Air
Every summer, Gendarmenmarkt is the romantic setting for the Classic Open Air series of concerts. On the steps of the Konzerthaus, the orchestras play lively classics while the sun slowly sets on a balmy summer’s evening.
Christmas market
During Advent, a charming Christmas market is held at Gendarmenmarkt. The lovingly decorated wooden booths offer traditional handicraft items and delicious Christmas specialities.
Attractions around Gendarmenmarkt
- Konzerthaus
- Deutscher Dom
- Französischer Dom
- Friedrichstraße
- Komische Oper Berlin
- Unter den Linden
- Bebelplatz
