Gendarmenmarkt
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Der Gendarmenmarkt is a famous square in Berlin, and the site of the famous Konzerthaus and the French and German Cathedrals. The centre of the Gendarmenmarkt is crowned by a statue of Germany's famous poet Friedrich Schiller. The square was created by [Christian Unger] at the end of the seventeenth century as the Linden-Markt. The Gendarmenmarkt is named after the cuirassier regiment Gens d'Armes, which was deployed at this square until 1773.
During World War II most of the buildings were badly damaged or destroyed. Today all the buildings are restored to their former glory.
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[edit] Das Französicher Dom
The French Cathedral (in German: Französischer Dom) the older of the two cathedrals was built by the Huguenot community between 1701 and 1705. The cathedral was modeled after the destroyed Huguenot church in Charenton-Saint-Maurice, France. The tower and porticos, designed by Carl von Gontard, were added to the building in 1785. The French cathedral has a viewing platform, a restaurant and a Huguenot museum.
[edit] Das Deutscher Dom
The German Cathedral (in German: Deutscher Dom) is located in the south of the Gendarmenmarkt. It has a pentagonal structure which was designed by Martin Grünberg and built in 1708 by Giovanni Simonetti. In 1785 it was modified by Carl von Gontard, who build the domed tower. The German cathedral was completely destroyed during World War II through fire in 1945. After the German reunification the cathedral was rebuilt, finished in 1993 and re-opened in 1996 as a museum of German history.
[edit] Das Konzerthaus
The Konzerthaus is the most recent building on the Gendarmenmarkt. It was built by Karl Friedrich Schinkel in 1821 as the Schauspielhaus. It was based on the ruins of the National Theatre, which was destroyed by fire in 1817. Parts of the building contain columns and some outside walls from the destroyed National Theatre. Like the other buildings on this square, it was also badly damaged during World War II. The reconstruction, finished in 1984, turned the theatre into a concert hall. Today, it is the home of the Konzerthausorchester Berlin.
The Gendarmenmarkt hosts one of Berlin's most popular Christmas Markets.
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