Berlin's Gendarmenmarkt is a historic square in the former kingdom of Prussia. A mecca for classical culture, the space would be absolutely charming if it weren't constantly undergoing renovation. Better still, it's a relic disconnected from its surroundings.
The Gendarmenmarkt Is Worth a Visit
The history of the Gendarmenmarkt is characteristic of Berlin's development from the late 17th century onwards. In France, the Edict of Fontainebleau abolished religious freedom, sending hundreds of thousands of Protestants into exile. In response, Prussia declared itself a land of tolerance and immediately welcomed Huguenot refugees who settled in Potsdam and Berlin. This benevolence had two major consequences. On the one hand, the refugees considerably enriched Prussia, bringing with them their wealth and know-how. Secondly, Berlin developed rapidly under the impetus of the new arrivals, becoming the most French and Francophile city in the kingdom.
To celebrate religious freedom, two churches, one Lutheran and the other Huguenot, were erected not far from the prince's castle. Such was the French influence that the mere presence of a barracks for a regiment of cuirassiers, called gens d'armes by the Huguenots, definitively established the square's new name: Gendarmenmarkt, literally the gens d'armes market. During the reign of Frederick II the Great, the churches were given identical towers, and the National Theater was built to complete the symmetry of the square. The destruction of the latter in a fire in 1817 led to the redesign of the Gendarmenmarkt with the construction of the grandiose Konzerthaus by architect Karl Friedrich Schinkel.
Like the rest of central Berlin, the Gendarmenmarkt suffered considerable destruction during the Second World War. The Konzerthaus was gutted, the church towers were completely destroyed, and the square was reduced to a field of ruins. Long neglected by the GDR, preoccupied during its first two decades of existence with building a modern socialist city, it wasn't until the late 1970s and the ideological shift towards German socialism that the Gendarmenmarkt began to be rebuilt. Since German reunification, renovation and embellishment projects have followed one another.
In Search of Authenticity
Normally, the Gendarmenmarkt is approached from all four cardinal points. The most spectacular is from the Opera Square (Opernplatz or Bebelplatz), with a south-westerly perspective that opens up the square magnificently. The majesty of the neoclassical buildings is impressive. It is further enhanced by the incredible 18th-century layout of the site. The perfect symmetry of the German (Lutheran) and French (Huguenot) churches forms the axis of the large concert hall. On the square, a few public benches to admire the tranquility of the site and the central statue of the poet Friedrich Schiller at the foot of the Konzerthaus's triumphal steps. On the ground, an improbable grid pattern provides a remarkable aesthetic complement.
The restoration work carried out in the 1970s and 80s and the renovations carried out after German reunification have left their mark. At least, it's easier to date the different sets. The original stone is darker, while the more recent parts are excessively white. New and old rub shoulders on the same façade, on the same column. In this assemblage, the church domes rebuilt by the GDR are certainly the least convincing parts, as their mediocre cladding is inevitably deteriorating. Generally speaking, the entire district was rebuilt in the days of East Germany, revealing numerous prefabricated apartment blocks. The facades overlooking the square have been embellished, but this is unfortunately not the case for those on adjacent streets, where the concrete slabs are still visible.
The churches are no longer places of worship. Rehabilitated, they now house luxurious restaurants and exhibitions. The Konzerthaus is still in operation, and many classical concerts are performed there. By contrast, the surrounding area is sparsely populated. The area is not particularly renowned for its nightlife, and the few restaurants and stores are not enough to sustain a dynamic neighborhood life. On sunny days, crowds of tourists, passers-by and curious onlookers brighten up a square that is all too often empty or occupied by untimely scaffolding or the unmissable Christmas market in December.
Illusory Prosperity
The Gendarmenmarkt's current state of disrepair has prompted the state of Berlin to undertake new renovation work, this time far more ambitious than its predecessors. The scale of the project is such that it is likely to take at least a full year to complete. Pending a hypothetical opening in winter 2024, it will be virtually impossible to admire the square. It's true that, in addition to restoring the buildings, the main aim is to rectify the defects inherited from the GDR era. Nevertheless, the closure of the square demonstrated that the traditional Christmas market could be held just a few hundred meters away, on the Place de l'Opéra, without losing any of its prestige.
The Gendarmenmarkt is an anomaly in its immediate environment. Because of its classical culture, it is both a traditional and elite symbol of identity. The music, restaurants and shops all support this. However, the adjacent housing is that of the former GDR, working-class and working-class. As a result, while the new layout is aimed more at people from the most privileged socio-professional backgrounds, they tend to live in the affluent suburbs to the south-west of the capital. The real population is mainly middle-class and retired, often of East German origin.
In most Western metropolises, classic heritage is to be found in upmarket neighborhoods. In Berlin, the opposite is true: the Gendarmenmarkt is an island of prosperity bordered by prefabricated buildings. Nevertheless, this anomaly is temporary. Germany has changed its narrative and its capital is rebuilding the marks of the past, rightly or wrongly, starting with the monarchy's former castle. This development reflects the current movement of the periphery towards the city center, erasing once and for all the division of the past century. Of course, this colossal project also includes the Gendarmenmarkt, an important historical appendage on the Unter den Linden axis. All in all, the district is set for radical change over the next thirty years.
Reasons to Visit
Beautiful lighting effects in the morning and early evening
Beautiful views over the square
A square on a human scale
Reasons to Skip
Incessant construction work and scaffolding
Limited shopping and gastronomy
Disturbing socio-economic inequalities
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