Unter den Linden

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Under the linden trees

Unter den Linden ("under the linden trees") is a boulevard in the centre of Berlin, the capital of Germany. It is named for its linden (lime in British English) trees that line the grassed pedestrian mall between two carriageways. Unter den Linden runs east–west from the Brandenburg Gate to the former site of the imperial palace (Berliner Stadtschloss) where the Palast der Republik is currently under deconstruction (2007). The boulevard crosses the River Spree and continues as Karl-Liebknecht-Straße. Major north–south streets crossing Unter den Linden are Friedrichstraße and Wilhelmstraße.

Unter den Linden is at the heart of the historic section of Berlin dating from the 17th and 18th centuries. It connects Pariser Platz and Bebelplatz, crossing the Schlossbrücke (palace bridge), the Lustgarten and Museum Island. Buildings along the street include (from west to east) the Hotel Adlon, the Russian Embassy (former Soviet Embassy), the Berlin State Library, the Berlin State Opera, Humboldt University, Cathedral of St. Hedwig at Bebelplatz, the Kronprinzenpalais (former palace of the crown princes), the Neue Wache war memorial, the Zeughaus Berlin (old armory; now houses the German Historical Museum (DHM)), the Alte Kommandantur and the Berliner Dom.

Well-known statues of Frederick the Great, Alexander von Humboldt, Wilhelm von Humboldt, and several Prussian generals also adorn the street.

A boulevard of linden trees was planted from 1647 extending from the electoral palace to the gates of the city by Friedrich Wilhelm, the “Great Elector” who wanted to beautify the route from his castle to his hunting park, the Tiergarten. By the 19th century, as Berlin grew and expanded to the west, Unter den Linden became the best-known and grandest street in Berlin. During the last days of World War II most of the linden trees were destroyed or cut down for firewood. The trees were replanted in the 1950s^{[citation needed]}.

[edit] Along Unter den Linden

An aerial view of Unter den Linden	The eastern end at the Schlossbrücke (palace bridge)	The Berlin State Opera, one of many public buildings in the classical style along the Unter den Linden.	The Zeughaus (now the German Historical Museum) is the oldest building on Unter den Linden, built between 1695 and 1706.
The Neue Wache (new watchhouse), considered by many to be Karl Friedrich Schinkel’s masterpiece, was built in 1817 and is now the National War Memorial.	Part of the campus of Humboldt University, which straddles Unter den Linden	A statue of Frederick the Great in the middle of Unter den Linden, facing west	Bebelplatz with the Cathedral of St. Hedwig, south of Unter den Linden
The Adlon Hotel, which has been completely rebuilt on the site of the prewar hotel	The Brandenburg Gate at the Pariser Platz marks the western terminus of Unter den Linden	At dusk looking toward the Aeroflot building next to the Russian Embassy	Map showing the main points of interest along Unter den Linden, Berlin