Friedrichstrasse in Berlin

The street named after Emperor Frederick I of Prussia is one of the main streets in Berlin, where, despite the transformations imposed by time and history, the past continues to resonate. Once, the longest street in the German capital (3.5 km.) was the avenue of upscale shops, luxury hotels, and beautiful facades.

But that's not all. Friedrichstrasse also provided space for entertainment and artistic activity. Theater performances, variety shows, and comedies delighted the audience of 1920s Berlin, and to this day, the presence of some of those theaters (Berliner Ensemble, Metropol-Theater) testifies to the beautiful city's commitment to the performing arts.

The end of World War II and the construction of the Wall marked the end of this splendid avenue. The Wall's construction (1961) split the street, which was then turned into a border point between the American occupation zone and the Soviet zone.

The Friedrichstrasse S-Bahn station became the last station before the border to West Berlin, passing from east to west. Due to the painful separations that took place here, it was renamed Tränenpalast, or the Palace of Tears.

Starting in September '61, a Checkpoint Charlie was set up on Friedrichstrasse, a border crossing for members of the Allied armed forces. This area became the scene of the so-called "Panzerkonfrontation" (tank confrontation) on October 27, 1961, which held the entire world in suspense.

Today, to commemorate the former border point (besides the tourist pantomime with a reconstructed cabin and actors in military uniforms), there's a panel on the historical route of the Wall and an installation featuring portraits of an American soldier and a Soviet soldier who each look into the other's territory.

Nearby, there is the Haus am Checkpoint Charlie with a permanent exhibition on the history of the Wall.

After the fall of the Wall, Friedrichstrasse has been reborn. The artery, a fundamental hub of Berlin's reconstruction, has come back to shine, asserting itself as the city's chicest shopping street.

Sparkling with its exclusive boutiques and refined venues, impressive in its commercial and residential buildings, and creative in its new post-reunification architecture, Friedrichstrasse is once again Berlin's most exclusive street. A stroll down this avenue, crowded with tourists and locals, adorned with elegant shop windows and luxurious cafes, makes this clear.

The Berlin artery is a true paradise for shoppers. There is something for everyone: fans of high fashion, lovers of luxury, connoisseurs of refinement. The Friedrichstadtpassagen complex is a system of three blocks connected by a shopping gallery, ideal for shopping and brilliant examples of the post-reunification architectural revolution.

Quartier 207, the glass building with rounded corners and an atrium that narrows downward, houses the Berlin branch of Galeries Lafayette. The transparency of the building combined with the play of lights creates a unique mirror effect that adds a special charm, transforming shopping into an exciting experience.

Chic and extravagant, with an Art Deco touch, is Quartier 206, featuring high-end boutiques (Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent, Moschino, Bottega Veneta). More subdued is Quartier 205, a geometric and monolithic mass, but no less charming.

**S-Bahn Metro: **S1, S2, S25, S5, S7, S75, and S9 at Friedrichstraße station **U-Bahn Metro: **U6 at Friedrichstraße station