Which city became the capital of Germany. The capital of Germany is Berlin. Attractive power of the capital. City of Berlin

Berlin is the most beautiful city in Europe

Berlin in last years attracts the attention of a huge number of tourists from different countries the world, and this is no coincidence. The capital of Germany has long been the unofficial title of not only one of the most beautiful cities in Europe, but also the scientific and cultural capital of the world.

Etymology of the word

The very word "Berlin" has been causing controversy among historians and linguists for more than one century. The thing is that the capital of Germany was previously a small village in which mostly Slavs lived. Therefore, most foreign researchers believe that the etymological basis of this word is the Slavic "birl", that is, swamps, swamps. The inhabitants of Berlin themselves are sure that this name comes from the German "ber" - a bear, because once this region was literally teeming with these predators. Only one thing is certain: the first mention of this city dates back to the middle of the 13th century in connection with a chronicle story about a small settlement at the confluence of the Spree and Havel rivers.

Alexanderplatz - the geographical center of the capital of Germany

The famous Alexanderplatz square, one of the most beautiful in the world, should be recognized as the geographical center of the city. With this name, the capital of Germany seems to remind everyone of the help that Russia then rendered to Prussia, freeing it from Napoleon's troops. This square got its name in honor of Emperor Alexander Pavlovich, who led the Russian army during the famous foreign campaign.

Berlin TV Tower - a modern symbol of the city

Near the square is one of the modern symbols of Berlin - the TV tower, which is considered one of the highest in the world. Every day, thousands of tourists climb it to get the opportunity to enjoy an unforgettable sight - to look at the city from a bird's eye view.

Along Unter den Linden to the Brandenburg Gate

The main street of the city has been Unter den Linden for more than one century. It got its name due to the fact that, by order of the founder of the Prussian kingdom, Friedrich Wilhelm, more than two thousand linden trees were planted here, which gave this highway its own unique charm. One end of Unter den Linden rests on the mighty Brandenburg Gate. Erected at the end of the 18th century, they saw many triumphs and defeats. It was through them that the brave German soldiers passed and the allies entered, striving for the capital of Germany to bow its head before them.

The Reichstag in Berlin is a symbol of Russian courage

Literally a few minutes walk from the Brandenburg Gate is another memorable building - the building of the German Parliament. The Reichstag in Berlin is real masterpiece architecture, but for Russia it is a symbol of the Great Victory. By the way, it is for this reason that the central dome of the Reichstag is not currently developing state flag Germany, symbols of the state are hung only on the sides of this structure.

Attractive power of the capital. City of Berlin

Germany has been attracting millions of explorers and tourists for many years now. It is in the capital that you can get acquainted with the famous german style, admire the magnificent German culture and plunge into the pool of secrets of European history.

Berlin

The federal state of Berlin, with a population of approximately 3.5 million, is spread over an area of ​​approximately 891 km2: 45 km from east to west and 38 km from north to south.

Today Berlin is not only the capital of Germany, it is the largest city with a developed industry, represented by such industries as: electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, clothing, optical and chemical products, furniture, food and paper industries. In addition, Berlin combines cities, villages, communes intersecting with rivers (the 4 most important rivers and navigable canals), forests (about 17% of the area) and lakes (6 of the most famous lakes).

The history of the emergence of Berlin is not quite usual. It was the so-called “paired” city of Berlin-Cologne, which began its history with the cooperation of those who received in 1235. the status of cities of ordinary fishing villages - Cologne (the island of the Spree River) and Berlin (the east bank is opposite). Neighboring settlements formed a common administration on the bridge connecting them (today it is the Rathausbrücke). The favorable geographical location of the double city of Berlin-Cologne was the key to rapid economic success. So, the first official historical references to Cologne appear in 1237, Berlin - in 1244. In 1307 Berlin-Cologne, having united into one city, achieved great significance in the Märk city union, a little later becoming a member of the Hansa.

The whole history of Berlin is full of various political and economic events. So, in 1451, after popular unrest, Prince Frederick II made the city his residence. Under the next ruler of Berlin, the governor Johann Cicero (1455-1499), the city became the capital of Kurbrandenburg. 15th century and the reign of the Hohenzollern dynasty is also a favorable period for the development of Berlin, which became their capital.

The period 1640-1688, despite the previous cataclysms (fires, plague and war), was marked as the time of the rapid flourishing of Berlin, which was the merit of Friedrich Wilhelm, nicknamed the "soldier king". The city not only became a fortress, the first grandiose buildings were erected in it, like the “Unter den Linden” that has survived to this day.

Since 1696 in Berlin, not only were the Academies of Arts, Sciences and the University erected, but also the rapid industrialization of the city took place. This determined the assignment to Berlin of the title of the cultural and economic center of Prussia. Frederick the Great supports the architectural modernization of the city, bringing in the architect Knobelsdorff for this. In addition, science, research, art and culture are actively developing, which contributes to the flourishing of Prussia and makes Berlin the center of the Enlightenment. The city is building castles, public buildings, private mansions. The greatest minds of that time flock to Berlin. So, in 1697. the city had 220 thousand inhabitants, and after just a century the population grew 4 times!

In the XVIII century. after the construction of the wall, three more villages are inside, joined by Berlin and Cologne, forming a new city. The position of Berlin as the capital and residence did not change even in 1701, when Prince Frederick III self-proclaimed himself King of Prussia - Frederick the First. In 1806-1808. Berlin survived the conquest by Napoleon's army, and in the following decades, the renewal of cultural life was embodied in the construction of the magnificent classical buildings of Schinkel, as well as the magnificent parks of the Lehne. The city is even called "Athens on the Spree".

Events related to the Industrial Revolution and the conclusion of the Customs Union in 1834. significantly increased the significance of Berlin for Germany. In the city, which already has 400 thousand inhabitants, the most a large number of barracks to accommodate arriving workers. 1871 - the year of the founding of the German Empire, whose king becomes Wilhelm I (1861-1888), and the capital is Berlin, where 800 thousand people already lived. During the reign of Wilhelm II (1888-1918) - the last German emperor - the Reich reaches its power, which was made possible thanks to the economic, financial and military power of the city. Berlin is growing at an incredible pace, and by 1900. the number of inhabitants was already more than 1.5 million people.

After the First World War (1914-1918) in Berlin, as in the whole country, a deep crisis occurred, caused by a heavy defeat in the war, the abdication and emigration of the emperor. The First Republic was soon proclaimed, and the harsh suppression of the Spartacist uprising was the beginning of the emergence of a new Berlin in the 20s, which included the nearby communes: Neukölln, Charlottenburg, Schöneberg, Spandau, Schöneberg, etc.

Despite the decline of the economy and revolutionary unrest, in the 1920s, cultural life continued to develop, marking the beginning of a time of rapid renewal. The mood of freedom favors creativity, intellectual and artistic life is in full swing. New theatrical productions, successful film premieres, and an incomparable nightlife of variety shows have turned Berlin into the center of the Golden Twenties. Now Berlin is the world capital of entertainment, bohemia and avant-garde, and no other city can surpass it in this. Of course, Berlin is becoming the habitat of the most famous figures of culture and science. Artists (O. Dix, V. Kandinsky), writers (B. Brecht, S. Zweig, T. Mann), scientists (R. Vikhrov, R. Koch, E. Bering, M. Plank, K .Bosch, A.Einstein).

In 1933, with the coming to power of Chancellor Adolf Hitler and the subsequent establishment of the Nazi regime, a black streak began in the life of the city. By the beginning of World War II, in 1939, 4.5 million people lived in Berlin. Since 1941 Until May 1945, air attacks began on Berlin - the center of the fascist state. During this time, 75 thousand tons of bombs were dropped on the city, the population decreased by half, and a third of residential buildings and historical buildings were destroyed. From the debris formed from the debris, the artificial mountains Klammottenberg and Trummerberg were subsequently laid down.

The capital, lying in ruins, was divided into zones by 4 victorious countries (Soviet Union-east, USA-southwest, Great Britain-west, France-northwest). After being blocked by the Soviet Union in 1948. three western sectors for almost a year, Berlin experienced a blockade. In 1949 Berlin is divided into two parts, the eastern part becomes the territory of the new state of the GDR.

Within 8 years (1953-1961), as a result of the constant outflow of citizens of the GDR, there were 200 thousand more inhabitants in the FRG. The GDR is not interested in such a scenario, and on August 13, 1961. a double wall is erected surrounding West Berlin. Now that relatives and friends living on opposite sides of the wall can no longer meet, the waiting room at the Bahnhof Friedrichstraβe station, nicknamed the "Palace of Tears", is becoming a cult place.

In June 1963, after a speech by US President John F. Kennedy at the Schöneberg City Hall in Berlin, an agreement on a throughput system was signed. And in November 1989. there was a peaceful revolution in the GDR, and the Berlin Wall was suddenly destroyed. The destruction of the artificially created barrier was the reason for the reunion in October 1990. Germany, and, accordingly, Berlin, which again became the capital.

Germany is a state in Central Europe. The official name of Germany is the Federal Republic of Germany, and the abbreviation FRG is also widely used.

The territory of Germany - The area of ​​​​the state of the Federal Republic of Germany - 357022 km².

Population of Germany - The population of Germany is more than 80 million inhabitants (80,594,017 as of July 2017).

According to 2017 data, the average life expectancy in Germany is 80.8 years (men - 78.5 years, women - 83.3 years).

The capital of Germany, Berlin, is the seat of the German government; some ministries and departments are located in Bonn.

Major cities in Germany - The largest cities in Germany are Berlin, Hamburg, Munich and Cologne. The next most important is the fifth most populous city in Germany and the financial metropolis of Frankfurt am Main, which also has Germany's largest airport. This is the second largest airport in Europe, and the first in terms of revenue from air cargo.

The official language of Germany - The official literary language and the language of office work in Germany is German. Along with this, the population of Germany uses Low, Middle and High German dialects, which are also spoken by residents of the border regions of neighboring states. The recognized languages ​​of national minorities include Danish, Frisian and Lusatian, as well as the regional language - Low Saxon (Low German), which has been recognized by the EU since 1994.

Citizens of foreign origin living in the country, for whom German is not their native language, as well as their children, speak Russian (about 3 million), Turkish (about 3 million), Polish (about 2 million), the languages ​​of the peoples of the former Yugoslavia , Spanish, Italian, as well as in the languages ​​of a number of Muslim states. In the course of assimilation into German society, these languages ​​eventually disappear. There are also mixed dialects. Migrants unable to master German, which means that those who retain their original cultural identity find themselves in isolation. Russian is spoken by ethnic Germans, Russians and Jews, immigrants from the CIS countries (mainly from Kazakhstan, Russia and Ukraine).

Religion in Germany - Freedom of conscience and freedom of religion is guaranteed by the German constitution. The majority of Germans are Christians, with Catholics making up 32.4%, Protestants 32.0%, and Orthodox 1.14%. A small part of believers belong to Christian denominations - Baptists, Methodists, believers of the Free Evangelical Church and adherents of other religious movements. Part of the believers are Muslims (about 3.2 million or 3.8%), Jehovah's Witnesses (about 164,000 or 0.2%) and members of Jewish communities (about 100,000 or 0.12%). About 31% of the German population, mostly in the territory of the former GDR, are atheists.

The geographical position of Germany - Germany borders on Denmark, Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria, Switzerland, France, Luxembourg, Belgium and the Netherlands. In the north, its natural border is formed by the North and Baltic Seas. Germany is separated from Sweden by a strait in the Baltic Sea.

The northern part of Germany is a low-lying plain formed during the Ice Age (North German Plain, the lowest point is Neuendorf-Saxenbande in Wilstermarsh, 3.54 m below sea level). In the central part of the country, forested foothills adjoin the lowlands from the south, and the Alps begin to the south (the highest point in Germany is Mount Zugspitze, 2,968 m).

Rivers of Germany - A large number of rivers flow through Germany, the largest of which are the Rhine, Danube, Elbe, Weser and Oder.

Administrative-territorial division of Germany: Germany is a state with a federal structure; as part of Germany, there are 16 equal subjects - lands (Bundeslander; see the federal lands of the Republic of Germany), three of them are cities (Berlin, Bremen and Hamburg).

State structure of Germany: The form of government is a parliamentary republic, the form of government is a symmetrical federation. Germany is a democratic, social, legal state. The state structure of Germany is regulated by the Basic Law of Germany. The form of government in Germany is a parliamentary democracy.

The head of state is the federal president, who performs rather representative functions and appoints the federal chancellor. The Federal Chancellor is the head of the German Government. He directs the activities of the Federal Government. Therefore, the form of government in Germany is often also called chancellor democracy.

Germany has a federal structure. Thus, the political system of the state is divided into two levels: the federal one, at which national decisions of international importance are made, and the regional one, at which the tasks of the federal lands are solved. Each level has its own executive, legislative and judicial authorities.

The Bundestag (parliament) and the Bundesrat (organ of representation of the states) exercise legislative and legislative functions at the federal level and are empowered by a two-thirds majority in each of the bodies to amend the constitution. At the regional level, the parliaments of the lands - Landtags and Burgerschafts (parliaments of the cities-lands of Hamburg and Bremen) are engaged in lawmaking. They make laws that apply within the lands.

Executive power at the federal level is represented by the Federal Government, headed by the Chancellor. The head of the executive authorities at the level of the subjects of the federation is the prime minister (or mayor of the city-land). The federal and state administrations are led by ministers who are at the head of the administrative bodies.

The German Federal Constitutional Court enforces the constitution. The supreme courts of justice also include the Federal Court of Justice in Karlsruhe, the Federal Administrative Court in Leipzig, the Federal Labor Court, the Federal Public Court and the Federal Financial Court in Munich. Most of Litigation is the responsibility of the Länder. Federal courts are mainly engaged in review cases and check the decisions of the courts of the Länder for formal legality.

New name for Berlin

Great Hall ("Hall of Fame", "Hall of the People")

Main article: Big hall(Berlin)

The remains of the erected box of the building of the Faculty of Defense and Technology were covered after the war with construction debris from the analysis of city ruins, and a mountain appeared. Teufelsberg(German Teufelsberg- Devil's Mountain) 114.7 m high. After the war, the top of the mountain was used armed forces The United States planted thousands of trees to listen to radio traffic in the Eastern Bloc, and then on Teufelsberg, and the mountain turned into a recreation area.

Südstadt

As a continuation of the North-South Axis, it was planned to build the so-called Südstadt(German Sudstadt- Southern city), a residential area for 210 thousand inhabitants and the number of jobs per 100 thousand people.

surviving objects

The project provided for the creation of a traffic lightless traffic system at the intersection of the main transport routes - the East-West and North-South Axis in the Greater Tiergarten and equip it with a system of tunnels. In progress preparatory work two sections of the tunnel were erected, which have survived to this day.

Street 4th of July parade ground(German Platz des 4. Juli) in the district of Steglitz-Zehlendorf - the only section of the fourth outer ring (autobahn), which, according to the plan, was supposed to encircle the renovated city of Germany. In the post-war period, the street served for parades of the American military unit stationed nearby, including on July 4, the US Independence Day, which gave the modern name to the street.

see also

Links

• newsru.com: "Germany fulfills Hitler's dream: 'capital of the world', but in miniature"
• totalitarian architecture. Hitler and his "capital of the world"

The first mention of the capital of Germany, the city of Berlin, appeared in 1237, already at that time this city began to play a significant role in the life of many German principalities. A single state did not exist in those days, there were continuous wars between small principalities, Berlin often had to fight off the conquerors. This did not pass without a trace for the city, the cruelty of the winners in the Middle Ages knew no bounds, Germany (Germany) was no exception.

Modern Berlin

Now the capital of Germany is a rapidly growing cultural and economic center of the country. Until recently, there was a large wasteland in the very center, now modern quarters have grown on it, the most famous architects worked on their design. They managed to organically fit new buildings into the old look of the city. Now this place has become a cultural center, which houses various museums and restaurants, numerous exhibitions and festivals take place here.

Urban transport - the standard of accuracy and comfort

Everyone knows German punctuality, but the accuracy and rhythm of urban transport surprises even the most Germans. There are more than 170 city bus routes in the capital, any of them being more than a minute late is perceived as an emergency. You will always get to the planned place on time, no matter how many transfers you have to make.