Which city became the capital of Germany. The capital of Germany is Berlin. The attractive force of the capital. City of Berlin

Berlin is the most beautiful city in Europe

Berlin to 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 held 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 word “Berlin” itself has been causing controversy among historians and linguists for centuries. The thing is that the capital of Germany was previously a small village inhabited mainly by Slavs. Therefore, most foreign researchers believe that the etymological basis of this word is the Slavic “birl”, that is, swamps, swamps. The residents of Berlin themselves are sure that this name comes from the German “ber” - bear, because once upon a time this region was literally swarming with these predators. Only one thing is certain: the first mention of this city dates back to the mid-13th century in connection with a story in chronicles about a small settlement at the confluence of the Spree and Havel rivers.

Alexanderplatz - the geographical center of the capital of Germany

The geographical center of the city should be recognized as the famous Alexanderplatz square - one of the most beautiful in the world. With this name, the capital of Germany supposedly reminds everyone of the assistance that Russia then provided to Prussia, freeing it from Napoleon’s troops. This square received 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

Next to the square is one of the modern symbols of Berlin - the TV tower, which is considered one of the tallest in the world. Every day thousands of tourists climb it to get the opportunity to enjoy an unforgettable spectacle - 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 centuries. It received 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 unique charm. One end of Unter den Linden abuts the mighty Brandenburg Gate. Built at the end of the 18th century, they have seen many triumphs and defeats. It was through them that brave German soldiers passed and allies entered, striving for the capital of Germany to bow its head before them.

The Reichstag in Berlin is a symbol of Russian courage

Just a few minutes' walk from the Brandenburg Gate there is another memorable building - the German parliament building. The Reichstag in Berlin is a 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, state symbols are hung only on the sides of this structure.

The attractive power of the capital. City of Berlin

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

Berlin

The federal state of Berlin, with a population of about 3.5 million people, is located on 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 intersected by rivers (4 major rivers and shipping canals), forests (about 17% of the area) and lakes (6 most famous lakes).

The history of Berlin is not entirely ordinary. 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 (island of the Spree River) and Berlin (opposite the eastern bank). Neighboring settlements formed a common administration on the bridge connecting them (today the Rathausbrücke). The advantageous geographical location of the dual city of Berlin-Cologne became the key to rapid economic success. Thus, the first official historical mentions of Cologne appear in 1237, Berlin - 1244. In 1307 Berlin-Cologne, having united into one city, achieved great importance in the Märck city union, a little later becoming a member of the Hansa.

The entire 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, Governor Johann Cicero (1455-1499), the city became the capital of Kurbrandenburg. XV century and the reign of the Hohenzollern dynasty was also a favorable period for the development of Berlin, which became their capital.

The period 1640-1688, despite previous disasters (fires, plague and war), was marked as a time of rapid prosperity for 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 Not only were the Academies of Arts, Sciences and the University built in Berlin, but the city also experienced rapid industrialization. This determined the assignment of Berlin to the title of the cultural and economic center of Prussia. Frederick the Great supported the architectural modernization of the city, bringing in the architect Knobelsdorff for this purpose. In addition, science, research, art and culture are actively developing, which contributes to the prosperity 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 increased 4 times!

In the XVIII century. After the construction of the wall, three more villages find themselves inside, joining Berlin and Cologne, forming a new city. Berlin's position as the capital and residence did not change in 1701, when Prince Frederick III self-proclaimed himself King of Prussia - Frederick the First. In 1806-1808 Berlin survived the conquest of 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 Lehne parks. 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 importance 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 was Wilhelm I (1861-1888), and the capital was Berlin, where 800 thousand people already lived. During the reign of Wilhelm II (1888-1918) - the last German emperor - the Reich reached its power, which became 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), a deep crisis arose in Berlin, as well as throughout the country, caused by a heavy defeat in the war, the abdication and emigration of the emperor. Soon the First Republic was proclaimed, and the harsh suppression of the Spartacist uprising marked the beginning of the emergence of a new Berlin in the 20s, which included nearby communes: Neukölln, Charlottenburg, Schöneberg, Spandau, Schöneberg, etc.

Despite the decline of the economy and revolutionary concerns, in the 20s cultural life continued its development, marking the beginning of a time of rapid renewal. The mood of freedom is conducive to creativity, intellectual and artistic life is in full swing. New theater productions, successful film premieres, and an incomparable variety nightlife turned Berlin into the center of the Golden Twenties. Now Berlin is the world capital of entertainment, bohemia and the avant-garde, and no other city can surpass it in this. Of course, Berlin becomes the habitat of the most famous cultural and scientific figures. Artists (O. Dix, V. Kandinsky), writers (B. Brecht, S. Zweig, T. Mann), scientists (R. Vikhrov, R. Koch, E. Behring, M. Planck, K. .Bosch, A.Einstein).

In 1933, with the coming to power of Reich Chancellor Adolf Hitler and the subsequent establishment of the Nazi regime, a dark 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. The artificial mountains Klammottenberg and Trümmerberg were subsequently built from the rubble formed from the debris.

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

Over the course of 8 years (1953-1961), as a result of the constant outflow of GDR citizens, there were 200 thousand more residents in the Federal Republic of Germany. The GDR is not interested in this situation, 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,” has become 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 the access 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 became the reason for reunification 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; the abbreviation FRG is also widely used.

Territory of Germany - 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).

The average life expectancy in Germany as of 2017 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.

Large cities in Germany - The largest cities in Germany are Berlin, Hamburg, Munich and Cologne. Next in importance is Germany's fifth most populous city and financial metropolis, Frankfurt am Main, which also has Germany's largest airport. It is the second largest airport in Europe, and the first in terms of profit from air cargo transportation.

The official language of Germany - The official literary language and 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 areas of neighboring countries. Recognized languages ​​of national minorities include Danish, Frisian and Sorbian, as well as a 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), and the languages ​​of the peoples of the former Yugoslavia , Spanish, Italian, as well as in the languages ​​of a number of Muslim states. As they assimilate into German society, these languages ​​disappear over time. Mixed speech also arises. Migrants unable to master German language, which means that those who retain their original cultural identity find themselves isolated. 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 are 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. Some 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, mainly in the former GDR, are atheists.

Geographical location of Germany - Germany borders Denmark, Poland, 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 Lowland, the lowest point is Neuendorf-Saxenbande in Wilstermarsch, 3.54 m below sea level). In the central part of the country, forested foothills adjoin the lowland from the south, and to the south the Alps begin (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; Germany has 16 equal subjects - states (Bundeslander; see federal states of the Republic of Germany), three of them are cities (Berlin, Bremen and Hamburg).

Government structure of Germany: Form of government - parliamentary republic, form of government - symmetrical federation. Germany is a democratic, social, legal state. The German government is regulated by the German Basic Law. The form of government of the Federal Republic of 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: federal, at which national decisions of international importance are made, and regional, at which the tasks of the federal states are solved. Each level has its own executive, legislative and judicial authorities.

The Bundestag (parliament) and the Bundesrat (the body representing the states) exercise legislative and advisory functions at the federal level and are authorized by a two-thirds majority vote in each body to make changes to the constitution. At the regional level, lawmaking is carried out by the state parliaments - Landtags and Burgerschafts (parliaments of the city states of Hamburg and Bremen). They make laws that apply within the lands.

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

The German Federal Constitutional Court enforces the constitution. Other supreme judicial authorities include the Federal Court 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 primarily concerned with reviewing cases and reviewing decisions of state courts 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 filled up after the war with construction waste from the dismantling 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 on Teufelsberg to listen to radio traffic in the Eastern Bloc, 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 Südstadt- Southern City), a residential area for 210 thousand inhabitants and the number of jobs per 100 thousand people.

Surviving objects

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

Street Parade ground 4th of July(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 renewed city of Germany. In the post-war period, the street served for parades of the American military unit stationed nearby, including on US Independence Day on July 4, which gave the street its modern name.

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 principalities of Germany. There was no single state in those days; there were continuous wars between small principalities, and Berlin often had to repel conquerors. This did not pass without a trace for the city; the cruelty of the victors during the Middle Ages knew no limits, Germany was no exception.

Modern Berlin

Now the capital of Germany is the fast-growing cultural and economic center of the country. Until recently, there was a large wasteland in the very center, now modern neighborhoods have grown up on it, and famous architects worked on their design. They managed to organically fit new buildings into the old look of the city. Now the place has become a cultural center, housing various museums and restaurants, and hosting numerous exhibitions and festivals.

Urban transport is the standard of precision 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, and any delay of more than a minute is perceived as an emergency. You will always get to your planned location on time, no matter how many transfers you have to make.