Potsdamer Platz

Potsdamer Platz – © Pierre Adenis

When riding the U2 along Potsdamer Platz, you’ll always hear Berliners explain the following to their guests: “This was once a wasteland, and that’s where the Wall was.” Given the impressive highrises and busy streets that dominate the landscape today, it is hard to imagine that a massive empty space which was divided by the Wall did in fact once stretch across this area in the middle of the city. It was once used as a test location for a monorail. However, a serious accident and the fall of the Wall caused the project to be shelved.

After Germany’s reunification, it quickly became clear that Potsdamer Platz should be brought back to life. After all, it was the most lively place in Europe during the 20’s. The first traffic light was even built here. An opportunity that no other established city in the world ever had was suddenly available: the development of a completely new city centre. Despite encountering criticism along the way, the opportunity was seized.

When you stand beneath the sparkling SonyCenter’s brightly illuminated pavilion roof and look out at the highrises and massive advertisements on the Kollhoff building, you truly feel like you are living in the future. It’s definitely not possible to imagine a more urban area in Berlin.

Despite all of the critics’ prophecies of doom (when is a project in Berlin ever completed without bitter rowing and criticism?), Berliners and their visitors have embraced Potsdamer Platz and enjoy going there to shop, watch a movie or dine in one of the many restaurants. In doing so, no one considers that they are in a newly built centre anymore. That is, unless you tell them that the area was once a wasteland that was divided by the Wall.