Distance from Hotel: 2,0 Km
The Gendarmenmarkt is one of the most beautiful squares of Berlin. It is dominated by three monumental buildings: the German and the French Cathedral and the Concert hall.
The place was built in the 17th century according to plans by Johann Arnold Nehring. At this time, French immigrants settled in this neighborhood. The marketplace was initially called Esplanade, then in chronological order Linden Markt, Friedrichstädter Markt and Neuer Markt. In 1799 it was renamed as Gendarmenmarkt, since 1736-1782 the guard and the stables of the Guard Regiment “Gens d’Armes” were located there.
The German and the French Cathedral both emerged from simple churches that had been built around 1705 on the market. Two identical towers were added in the years 1780-1785 in addition to the churches, to make the Gendarmenmarkt more attractive. The term “Cathedral” is just about the architectural form of cathedrals and not the churches themselves.
The concert hall was built in the years 1817-1821 on the foundations of the National Theatre and still constitutes the focus of this three-piece ensemble.
The Gendarmenmarkt is close to our Hotel Zarenhof Berlin Mitte (5 min. by U6 underground line).