Berlin: area by area - East of the Centre - Schlossplatz

For centuries, Schlossplatz was the centre of Berlin; but since the massive Hohenzollern palace was blown up by the East German authorities in 1950, the former palace square has been characterised mainly by a feeling of emptiness.

None of the newer buildings have been able to alter this, for the architecture of the entire inner city was conceived around the impressive central palace.
The Royal Palace of the Prussian Electors, Kings and Kaisers was originally a medieval castle. In the course of the centuries, it became a spacious residence, extended and rebuilt in a variety of architectural styles. Renowned Prussian architects and sculptors made their mark on the building, including Schlüter, Eosander von Göthe, Langhans, Schinkel, Stüler, Rauch and many others.
In 1918, Germany lost the First World War and Kaiser Wilhelm II abdicated. Shortly after Philipp Scheidemann's declaration of a German Republic in the »Reichstag, Karl Liebknecht appeared at a window of the Royal Palace to announce the birth of the "Free Socialist Republic of Germany".
During the Weimar Republic, the Palace became a museum.
The Second World War left the Palace heavily damaged and largely burnt out; yet the building, and its dome, were still standing. Nonetheless, and despite international protests, it was demolished in a series of controlled explosions in 1950.
The East German government regarded it as "a symbol of Prussian militarism". Schlossplatz ("Palace Square") was renamed "Marx-Engels-Platz" – and used as an arena for military parades and demonstrations. Among the buildings erected here were the Palast der Republik, the Council of State building and the Foreign Ministry of the GDR.In 1976, the Palast der Republik was opened as the seat of parliament. Despite its impressive dimensions, it was incapable of filling the square as the Palace had done.
A white marble construction with bronze mirrored windows, the Palast der Republik was open to the public and enjoyed great popularity. Besides a foyer adorned with innumerable chandeliers, it featured a variety of ballrooms, theatres, youth clubs and restaurants.
After the Wall came down, investigations showed that the Palast der Republik was contaminated with asbestos, so the building was closed in 1990. In 2002, the Bundestag voted to rebuild the Royal Palace of the Hohenzollerns in its original form.
The former Council of State building of the GDR was erected in 1962-64 on the long side of the square. Integrated into the façade is the large portal from the Lustgarten wing of the Royal Palace; from this balcony, Karl Liebknecht proclaimed the short-lived Socialist Republic. After reunification and the government's relocation to Berlin, the building served as provisional accommodation for the Federal Chancellery.
It is now a temporary exhibition hall and a popular party location.
On the square archaeological excavations of older settlements are exposed and complemented with information plaques.