Unter den Linden

Stretching from the Brandenburg Gate to the Lustgarten, Unter den Linden is Berlin’s most famous street. Its name translates as “Under the Lime Trees Avenue” and it began as a 16th-century riding track for royalty to go hunting in the Tiergarten. It was formally established in 1647 when its famous lime trees were planted and now features a grassed pedestrian mall and two broad carriageways on either side.

Unter den Linden links many of Berlin’s sights, as well as being the setting for a number of important landmarks. The oldest building on the strip is the Zeughaus arsenal, which was built between 1695 and 1706. It was here that Rudolf von Gersdorff tried unsuccessfully to assassinate Adolf Hiter during the opening of an exhibition in 1943. It’s now home to the Deutsches Historisches Museum which explores the history of the country and its people through images and artifacts, as well as housing a four-floor Exhibition Hall by renowned architect I.M. Pei.

The home of the Berlin State Opera at Lindenoper is also located on Unter den Linden, as is the iconic turquoise dome of St. Hedwig's Cathedral. This Roman Catholic cathedral is renowned for its impressive tapestries depicting the holy city of Jerusalem.

The magnificent public square of Gendarmenmarkt is located just off Unter den Linden, with a statue of German poet Friedrich Schiller at its center. The square was laid out in the late-17th century and is home to the Konzerthaus, Französischer Dom and Deutscher Dom churches, as well as hosting one of Berlin’s most popular Christmas markets.