Kaufhaus des Westens

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"KaDeWe" Main entrance

Kaufhaus des Westens (commonly abbreviated KaDeWe) is a department store in Berlin, the largest in all of continental Europe. With over 60,000 square meters of floor space and more than 380,000 articles available it attracts 40,000 to 50,000 visitors every day.

[edit] History

The store was originally founded in 1905 by Adolf Jandorf, who persuaded the famous architect Emil Schaudt to construct his store. It opened in 1907.

In 1927, the ownership changed to the Hertie company. Mostly destroyed in World War II, the re-opening was celebrated in 1950. "KaDeWe" became soon a symbol of the re-gained economic power of Germany at the times of the Wirtschaftswunder.

In 1994, the KarstadtQuelle AG corporation acquired Hertie and with it KaDeWe.

[edit] Glory

"KaDeWe" The sixth floor food hall

The 6th and 7th floors (added in the early 1990s) are entirely devoted to food, and advertisements tout the place as having two football fields of food. The 6th floor delicatessen is famed for its wide variety of food and drink.

On the top, one can find a wonderful winter garden with a restaurant in it surrounded by an all-windowed wall offering a superb view over the Wittenbergplatz.

Its sheer size, its enormous amount of articles, its fame for excellent quality and its delicate location in the heart of Berlin, near to the Gedächtniskirche ("Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church") and the Kurfürstendamm makes it a must-visit for every tourist travelling to Berlin.