Gendarmenmarkt
A square with two matching domed churches facing each other, built for different congregations and different languages.
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The square holds two churches of almost identical design facing each other across it, the French Church built from 1701 for Huguenot refugees who made up a substantial part of Berlin's population at the time, and the German Church for the local Lutheran congregation. Frederick the Great added matching domed towers to both in the 1780s, purely for architectural effect and not for worship, which is why the domes stand slightly apart from the churches beneath them. Between them stands the Konzerthaus of 1821 by Karl Friedrich Schinkel, built on the ruins of a burned theatre. All three were destroyed in the war and rebuilt.
What you actually see
- The twin domes - matching towers added for symmetry, not for worship.
- The Huguenot church - built for the French-speaking refugee congregation.
- The Schinkel concert hall - an 1821 building between the two churches.
- The Christmas market - a ticketed market filling the square in December.
When to go
April to October, or December for the Christmas market, which charges admission. Tower climbs give views over the centre. Concerts run year-round.
Honest expectations
All three buildings are postwar reconstructions. The Christmas market charges entry, unusually. The square is often partly occupied by events.
Nearby
Unter den Linden lies north; Checkpoint Charlie is south.
What to pack for Gendarmenmarkt
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.
