Friedrichstraße is the most legendary street in the whole city and combines the tradition of the "Golden Twenties" with the architecture of the New Berlin. In the Twenties, the 3.5 km long street was the location for pleasure palaces, cafés, theatres and variety theatres such as the famous "Wintergarten".
After the division of the city, the Wall also cut through Friedrichstraße, where the famous »Checkpoint Charlie was located at the border of the districts of Kreuzberg and Mitte and thus at the border of East and West Berlin. The train station at Friedrichstraße, which has recently undergone complete renovation, remains rather more tragically in the minds of many East and West Berliners as the border crossing point between the two Germanys. The former customs hall was known as the "Tränenpalast" or "Palace of Tears". In front of the "Tränenpalast" the famous theatre "Admiralspalast" was re-opened in 2006. Further north, the Friedrichstadtpalast offers revue theatre of international standing.
On the southern half of Friedrichstraße there are countless new buildings, including the Friedrichstadtpassagen, with boutiques, offices and restaurants featuring the latest in architectural design. Shopping and window-shopping in the French fashion is the attraction of the Galeries Lafayette, located in the Quartier 207: on offer are a range of French specialties, particularly in the delicatessen. The impressive design created by the architect Jean Nouvel boasts a transparent glass façade and an atrium which tapers towards the bottom. The connecting Quartier 206, which is home to the boutiques of countless top designers, boasts an extravagant Art Déco style. Not only visitors but also the employees from the new, chic offices, agencies and media centers all enjoy the urban spirit and New York flair of the new Friedrichstraße.