Archive: The Capital City of Berlin - Documentation

To the south of the Ministergärten, our route leads to Zietenplatz via Voßstraße and Mohrenstraße to Zietenplatz. The street and square area is divided into three sections of differing widths. The dimensions are based upon the double-square grounds of Wilhelmplatz and Zietenplatz created in 1732. The western part represents the middle passage through the former Wilhelmplatz. It was created in 1909 with the construction of the underground train in 1909, but had a completely different appearance at that time. The original, rectangular square area was overbuilt with the building of the Czech Embassy to the south during the 1970s and later with a residential and business block to the north. The central section extending to Mauerstraße was called Zietenplatz from 1849 until 1945. The name comes from the statue unveiled in 1794 of the Cavalry General Hans Joachim von Zieten. It formed a unique ensemble of monuments on the square area together with five other statues of generals. Today, the building for representatives of the Province of Thuringia is on the northern corner towards Mauerstraße. The monument of the Hussar General von Zieten was erected again in 2003, followed by the sculpture of the Old Dessauer on 8 June 2005. The newly designed Zietenplatz, based on a design by the landscape architect Reinald Eckert, Berlin was presented to the public in June 2007.

Our stroll now leads us past the Mohrenstraße, the Gendarmenmarkt, the Ministry of Justice with the Mohrenkolonnaden, which could be renovated thanks to the development measure. Hausvogteiplatz is situated on the interface between the historical urban districts of Fried richs werder and Friedrichstadt. It was part of the fortress as a bastion and by far the most famous Berlin fashion district before the Second World War. Thanks to a garden historical preservation report of the office of Lesser Sayrac, Berlin describing Hausvogteiplatz as an urban-historically significant "island of tradition", the square and its adjoining streets were renovated by autumn 2001.

The Children's Day-Care Center Jerusalemer Straße lies to the south of Hausvogteiplatz. The building was designed as a competition contribution from the architectural office Volker Staab, Berlin. The day-care center for 180 children has a 3,000-square-metre garden and terraces connected over a perron. The glazed, medium-high "cuddle areas" and large windows demonstrate transparency and a visible contact to the outside.