Gendarmenmarkt
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The Gendarmenmarkt is one of the most beautiful squares in Berlin, surrounded by the Concert Hall, the French and the German Cathedral. The center of the harmonious Gendarmenmarkt is crowned by a statue of German's famous poet Friedrich Schiller.
The square was created by Georg Christian Unger at the end of the 17th century as the Linden-Markt. The Gendarmenmarkt is named after the cuirassier regiment Gens d'Armes which was deployed at this square until 1773.
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During the World War II most of buildings were badly damaged or destroyed. Today all buildings are restored to their former glory.
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.
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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 rebuilt was finished in 1993 and reopened in 1996 as a museum of German History.
The Concert Hall (in German: Konzerthaus) is the most recent building on the Gendarmenmarkt. It was built by Karl Friedrich Schinkel in 1821 as the Schauspielhaus. It based on the ruins of the National Theater, which was destroyed by fire in 1817. Parts of the building contains columns and some outside walls from the destroyed National Theater. Like the other buildings on this square, it was also badly damaged during the World War II. The reconstruction, finished in 1984, turned the theater into a concert hall. Today it is the home of the Berlin Symphony Orchestra.de:Gendarmenmarkt fr:Gendarmenmarkt