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1. Unter den linden. Platz am Opernhaus.
The handsomest and busiest part of Berlin, which likewise com¬
prises the most interesting historical associations, is the line of streets
extending from the Brandenburg Gate to the Royal Palace, consist¬
ing of *Unter den Linden (PI. R, 20, 23), the Platz am Opern¬
haus, and the Platz am Zeughaus. The Linden, a street 198 ft. in
width, deriving its name from the lime-trees (interspersed with
chestnuts) with which it is planted, resembles the Boulevards of
Paris, although inferior in length, and is flanked with handsome
palaces, spacious hotels and restaurants, and attractive shops, which
since the end of the 19th. cent, have gradually replaced the older
buildings (see p. 52). The Linden is to Berlin what Bond Street
and Piccadilly are to London, the corner of the Friedrich-Strasse
presenting a most animated picture, especially in the afternoon
and evening. The length of the street from the Brandenburg Gate
to the Monument of Frederick the Great is about 2/3 M., to the
palace-gate about 1 M.
The *Brandenburg Gate (PI. R, 20,19), at the W. end of the
Linden, forms the entrance to the town from the Tiergarten (see
p. 136). It was erected in 1789-93 by K. G. Langhans in imitation
of the Propylsea at Athens, and has five different passages, separated
by massive Doric columns. The material is sandstone. The structure
(85 ft. in height, including the figure, and 205 ft. in width) is sur¬
mounted by a Quadriga of Victory, in copper, by G. Schadow
(1794). This was taken to Paris by the French in 1807, but restored
in 1814. The iron cross (under the eagle) was added after its return.
The gate is flanked with open Colonnades for foot-passengers, built
by Strack in 1868; the statue of Mars in that to the S. is by Schadow.
Tramways (pp. 14-22) run from the Brandenburg Gate and the Reichstag
Building (No. 13 from the latter only) to the Anhalt Station (Nos. 1, 7,
14,15), Charlottenburg N., Donhoff-Platz (6, 9, 13), Friedrich-Strasse Station
(13, N, 0, S, T), Gesundbrunnen (23), Gorlitz Station (13), Hackescher
Markt (52, 56), Halle Gate (1, 7, 14, 15), Lehrte Station and Moabit (6,
7, 9, 13, 14, 16, 23, 24), Museum Island (N, O, S. T), Neues Tor (51, 57),
Nollendorf-Platz (51, 52, 56, 57), Opern-Platz (13), Potsdam Gate (1, 6, 7,
9, 14, 15, 23, 24, 51, 52, 56, 57), Rixdorf (7, 15), Silesian Station (1, 6, 9),
Schoneberg (23, 24, 51, 56, 57), Spittelmarkt (6, 9), Stettin Station (51, 57),
Zoological Gardens (0).
Between the gate and the beginning of the Linden lies the
Pariser-Platz , so named after the victories of 1814, and embell¬
ished with pleasure-grounds. No. 4, on the S. side, is the Royal Aca¬
demy of Art, in the former palace of Count Arnim. The Academy
of Art was established in 1694 under Frederick I. by Sehliiter and
Terwesten (exhibitions, see p. 37). No. 5, on the N. side, is the
French Embassy.