Karlmarxallee berlins best example of gdrera neorealist architecture is a 90m 295ftwide boulevard built between 1950 and 1960 to provide housing for thousands of residents and to act as a backdrop for military parades. Its easy to feel like gulliver in the land of brobdingnag when walking down monumental karlmarxallee, one of berlins most impressive gdrera relics. B will take you on an exciting journey through the history of berlins buildings. Historical spots along karlmarxallee created by susanne updated on. Step back in time to postworld war ii germany at karl marx allee, one of east germanys main housing projects during the postwar reconstruction. Info stations along karlmarxallee provide fascinating insights into the individual construction phases. Though it was getting run down by the time of reunification, most of it has since been restored and its historical value is now widely. Karlmarxallee berlin, germany attractions lonely planet. The main neoclassical section, between strausberger platz and frankfurter tor, was intended to be the showpiece of east german city planning, it combined housing, restaurants, offices and shops. The architecture along the boulevard is not unlike what one would see in sections of moscow during the 1960s and 1970s. Berlin s accounts of marx s theses are sometimes more effective than marx s own words, and his descriptions of marx as a man are remarkably vivid. Karlmarxallee, berlin dark tourism the guide to dark travel. However, housing here was not as important as demonstrating the power of the german democratic republic.
Today little is left of what made berlin one of the capitals of the communist world. Built in the early fifties, karl marx allee, leading into alexanderplatz, with its omniscient television tower, was the communist showpiece of war reconstruction efforts. The karlmarxallee came about in the early fifties, when east and west berlin were just beginning to be carved out in the way we now remember them. The karlmarxallee tour is a combined tour, meaning that it will start with a onehour visit of the ddr museum, followed by a twohour walk along the alexanderplatz as well as the socialist boulevard. From 1949 until 1961 it was then renamed to stalinallee, before it was finally named karlmarxallee. A 2km long triumphal route of overbearing, neoclassical blocks thats more moscow than mitte. The karlmarxallee is a monumental socialist boulevard built by the gdr between 1952 and 1960 in berlin friedrichshain and mitte. In a part of the gdrs reimaginings of east germany in a postwar world, architects and city planners went about reorganizing this expansive strasse, but they had initially picked another iconic emblem of socialism before they settled on marx. Gargantuan avenue, built between 1949 and 1961 as the stalinallee. The hansaviertel vs karlmarxallee architecture in berlin. Frankfurter tor, a large square connecting frankfurter allee with karlmarxallee, serves as a gateway to berlins mitte, the citys historic center.
This boulevard was conceived of by east german leaders as the first socialist street in germany and to carry the name of joseph stalin. Main architect responsible was hermann henselmann, alongside other architects. Karlmarxallee architecture of east berlin berlin love. Among the last visible remainders are those largerthanlife statues of the authors of the communist manifesto. Karlmarxallee berlin, germany just for fun, american. Karlmarxallee is one of the most famous berlin boulevards built after world war ii as part of the reconstruction of east berlin. Before it was karlmarxallee, it was called stalinallee from 19491961 in a way to pay homage to the partys symbol of socialist tenacity. Karl marx allee is a beautiful boulevard through what is essentially east berlin,flanked on either side by stunning looking buildings dating from the 1950s that look amazing,along the boulevard are some really good pubs,bars and restaurants and in the 1st weekend in august they hold a massive open air beer festival which is awesome. Advice for exploring berlins less well known architecture. It was built in the postwar years and originally was called stalinallee.
Grenander and renamed in 1946, and although karl marx was a hero of the socialist republic of east germany the station is in former west berlin. Karl marx allee stroll down a socialist time warp last checked. According to tripadvisor travelers, these are the best ways to experience karlmarxallee. The apartments were of a high quality with many modern facilities such as district heating, hot water, fitted cupboards, tiled bathrooms, waste chutes, door phones, lifts and bathtubs. Theres a memorial plaque about this at the historic site on karlmarxallee as there are in several other places see also under berlin in general and under.
Few can resist to take a picture with them they just look like two cute old grandpas desperate to tell you stories from the good old days of socialism. It was created to adorn the terrace of the cafe warschau, a former east berlin restaurant thats now home to the computerspielemuseum. The best way to experience karl marx allee is to take a stroll along the avenue, beginning at alexanderplatz. May 28, 2009 but its also ironic that karlmarxallee was the grand statement of formal, centralised planning, but now lies at the centre of berlins more chaotic side. According to tripadvisor travellers, these are the best ways to experience karlmarxallee. Yesterday, i set out from home with no plan other than to make the most of the sun and get a. Aug 04, 2014 historical spots along karlmarxallee created by susanne updated on. It looks at marxs life minus the meaning of his work. Karl marx allee runs right through friedrichshain, one of the livelier parts of the city, especially at night.
Best hotels near karlmarxallee, berlin tripadvisor. The author initially wrote a more complete edition, that explored marxs theories. A brilliantly lucid work of synthesis and exposition, the book introduces marxs ideas. Use public transport freely and get to all the sights with the berlin welcome card. Karlmarxallee, formerly known as stalinallee, is a monumental boulevard that was once the most famous street in east berlin.
Sharon mertins starting at alexanderplatz heading down towards frankfurter tor will take you along a boulevard of wedding cakestyle buildings exemplary of soviet, socialist classicism that were built to house spacious, luxurious apartments for the east. Karlmarxallee is a socialist boulevard renamed during the time of two germanys. The boulevard was named stalinallee between 194961 previously gro. In block c south of the karlmarxallee, otto stark sat in the quiet of his apartment, tuning in to the historic national blunder that precipitated the fall of the berlin wall. Once one of the karlmarxallees most popular open spaces, its location is marked by this often unnoticed historical gem. Before it was karl marxallee, it was called stalinallee from 19491961 in a way to pay homage to the partys symbol of socialist tenacity. A brief history of berlins karlmarxallee, a stretch of a street built by the gdr in the mid20th century in the name of socialism. Karlmarxallee berlin 2020 all you need to know before.
The karl marxallee is a monumental socialist boulevard built by the gdr between 1952 and 1960 in berlin friedrichshain and mitte. Nov 06, 2014 in block c south of the karlmarxallee, otto stark sat in the quiet of his apartment, tuning in to the historic national blunder that precipitated the fall of the berlin wall. The karl marx allee is a monumental socialist boulevard built by the gdr between 1952 and 1960 in berlin. Marxengels monument location in berlin likealocal guide. Our karlmarxallee tour today we would like to introduce to you one of our tours, which of course is also suitable for school groups. The famous street is 89 meters wide and 2 km long and still houses some of the wedding cake architecture that east germany was known for. Today wouldve marked the 82nd birthday of my father, dr. The karlmarxallee is a monumental socialist boulevard built by the gdr between 195260 in berlin. This blog is used to archive the research process on berlin as a place and as a space. Many of the buildings of karlmarxallee previously stalinalle, and originally frankfurter. Karlmarxallee berlins best example of gdrera neorealist architecture is a 90m 295ftwide boulevard built between 1950 and 1960 to provide housing for thousands of residents and.
The boulevard was named stalinallee between 1949 and 1961 previously gro. Discover karlmarxallee in berlin mitte friedrichshain. Two symmetrical highrise buildings on either side of the karl marx allee seem to serve as watchtowers guarding the entrance to the city center. The hansaviertel, a demonstration of the wests less dictatorial planning and its liberal values, feels much more the museum piece. The buildings along it were designed to showcase communist east germany, with fashionable shops and spacious apartments for workers. The station was opened in 1926 as bergstrasse arch. If you want a taste of the old communist era berlin, dont miss it. There is a wide variety of bars, cafes, supermakets and restaurants within a few minutes walk. The history of karlmarxallee in 1 minute culture trip. The influence of sovietstyle architecture on ddrera construction in east berlin is plain to see on karlmarxallee, which runs from alexanderplatz to frankfurter tor. The boulevard stretches from friedrichshain to mitte, approximately two kilometers in length, and is dotted with impressively tall buildings for berlin that mirror the weddingcake.
Nov 09, 2014 karl marx allee used to be called stalinallee. One of the sites in east berlin still able to evoke some of the atmosphere of the citys past as capital of the german democratic republic is the karlmarxallee. Karl marx allee was a flagship project and the most ambitious rebuilding project in east berlin. John kleiner, a professor of at the lutheran theological seminary in saskatoon, canada, and the man whom i have to thank for my interest in german history.
On first sight, it has all the architectural subtlety of a wedding cake, with neoclassical features thrown uncomprehendingly onto the giant facades of soviet prefabsystem blocks. Formerly considered east berlin, karl marx allee is one of the best places to get a glimpse of socialist history, architecture, and local life in berlin from the past. The karl marx allee is a grand boulevard in berlin. Karl marx buchhandlung in berlin, berlin librarything local. Built as part of the soviet reconstruction project, it is lined with classic sovietstyle buildings including large residential blocks.
The karlmarxallee is a monumental socialist boulevard built by the gdr between 1952 and 1960 in berlin. Karlmarxallee at its eastern end at frankfurter tor featuring towers. Two symmetrical highrise buildings on either side of the karlmarxallee seem to serve as watchtowers guarding the entrance to the city center. Plan your trip to berlin with us and book admission tickets online for the most. Karl marx allee, formerly known as stalinallee, is a monumental boulevard that was once the most famous street in east berlin. Berlin, ansichtssachen and ticket b will take you on an exciting journey through the history of berlins buildings. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Built between 1952 and 1960, the 90mwide boulevard runs for 2. The karlmarxallee is an iconic socialist boulevard built between 1952 and 1960. Moscow in berlin formerly considered east berlin, karl marx allee is one of the best places to get a glimpse of socialist history, architecture, and local life in berlin from the past. Visit karlmarxallee on your trip to berlin or germany. It is today an historical and architectonic memorial to, and attraction from, the soviet era.
The buildings are for the most part in the stalinistic architectural style. As soon as you turn off into the side streets, away from the imposing stalinist blocks, the true east berlin urban fabric of late 19th century streets reasserts itself, with hundreds of cafes, bars etc. Step back in time to postworld war ii germany at karlmarxallee, one of east germanys main housing projects during the postwar reconstruction. Built by the german democratic republic between 1952 and 1960, the enormous development contained apartments for workers, shops, restaurants, a hotel, and a cinema considered enormous by the eras. Nov 06, 2015 this feature is not available right now. During one of my stays in berlin we ran, it was an extrasensory experience, with their wide streets, their huge roundabouts and with the flavor of some of the. One of the sites in east berlin still able to evoke some of the atmosphere of the citys. Isaiah berlins intellectual biography of karl marx has long been recognized as one of. Sunday documentary december, 2015 16 june, in protest against state demands for increased production quotas, construction workers on karlmarxallee, then named stalinallee, laid down their tools and marched towards the house of the ministries on. We will archive this by means of analysing the perceptions and representation of the city through the affect of berlins history, music, film, art, political, architecture, berlin today in. Built as a monument, this part of the city offerd modern housing for the berlin people compared to the old but charming small houses on prenzlauer berg. The best way of reaching karlmarxallee from alexanderplatz.
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