Nikolaiviertel
The Middle Ages Live
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With its winding medieval lanes and countless bars and restaurants, the Nikolaiviertel is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Berlin. Before the Second World War, the quarter around the Nikolaikirche was characterized by narrow streets, inns, shops, courtyards and craftsmen's workshops. Artists including Kleist, Hauptmann, Ibsen, Casanova, Strindberg and Lessing lived or lodged here. The quarter was almost completely destroyed during air raids in 1944 and left as a wasteland. The ruins were only reconstructed from 1981–87, in the run-up to the 750th anniversary of the city, under the supervision of the architect Günter Stahn. During the rebuilding of the quarter as a winding pedestrian precinct, modern and reconstructed buildings were brought together into a unified whole. The houses and streets follow their historical forebears as closely as possible, creating the illusion of a piece of "Old Berlin". One of the most important sights is the 13th-century Nikolaikirche with its twin towers. It has undergone much rebuilding in the course of its history: Schinkel for example carried out restructuring in 1807, and the towers were added from 1876–78. The carefully restored interior is home to an annex of the City Museum, which from March 21, 2010 on presents an exhibition on 800 years Nikolaikirche, and thus Berlin history as well. The Ephraimpalais is one of the most important architectural landmarks in the Nikolaiviertel, a masterwork of Berlin palace architecture from the 18th century which now hosts changing exhibitions. Rich ornamentation decorates the balconies of this gently curved building, which was dismantled in 1935/36 because of street widening, stored in numbered pieces, and then practically forgotten until it was replaced and rebuilt in 1983 after extensive negotiations. The baroque Knoblauchhaus from 1760 is also worth a visit: filled with valuable furniture, its interiors offer a peek into the world of the upper middle class. |
| Nikolaiviertel |
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Nikolaikirchplatz 10178 Berlin-Mitte Tel.: 247 460 10 Fax: 247 460 130 www.berlin-nikolaiviertel.de aktionsgemeinschaft@berlin-nikolaiviertel.de |
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Alexanderplatz: S5, S7, S75, S9 U2, U5, U8 100, 200, 248
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| Explore Berlin-Mitte |
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| Entrance |
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Nikolaikirche |
