National Library

National Library (12)

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HOTEL NEAR

As was mentioned earlier, the huge structure of Berlin’s National Library is located in Unter den Linden.

It is a classical style building, commissioned by Frederick William I in 1661. If coming for a visit, we recommend you take a look at its beautiful interior courtyard, which is possible from Monday to Saturday, from nine o’clock in the morning onwards. You will also find here a lovely cafe.

In its archives there are almost ten million books, while some of its contents are also shared by the New National Library, in Potsdamer Strase.

During the Second World War its documents were hidden in monasteries, castles and mines located all over Germany, as well as in other countries. And it was not until after the war that they were returned to the library. Many of the former contents are, in fact, still in Poland and areas of what was the Soviet Union.

A very sad historical event happened in 1933, when various Nazi groups, together with members of the SS and Hitler Youth, carried out a massive book burning. This took place in Bebelplatz, and was ordered by Minister of Propaganda, Goebbels. On that day 20,000 books were destroyed, the majority of them taken from Humboldt University and the National Library.

Despite this great loss, nowadays the library contains works of incalculable value, like the original score of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, medieval maps laid out by Nicolas von Kues, manuscripts of poems by Persian writer Hafiz and an atlas dating from 1664, the biggest in the world.

ALL POINTS OF INTEREST

INFORMATION

History (1A)

Play & Tour (0)

History - 1920s to First World War (1C)

History - Origins: The 1920s (1B)

ESSENTIAL

Alexander Platz Square (22)

Brandenburg Gate (3)

Commemorative Monument of The Wall (Gedenkstätte Berliner Mauer) (57)

Gotic Church of Kaiser William (35)

Palace of Charlottenburg (34)

Reichstag (46)

Spandau District (59)

Bebel Platz Square (8)

Breitscheidplatz Square (36)

East Side Gallery (56)

Kreuzberg District (54)

Pariser Square (4)

Reichstag Cupola (46A)

Television Tower (Fernsehturm) (23)

Bellevue Palace (44)

Charlottenburg District (33)

Friedrichshain District (55)

Mitte District (2)

Potsdamer Square (48)

Saint Nicholas District (Nikolaiviertel) (28)

Tiergarten District (41)

Berlin Cathedral (21)

Checkpoint Charlie (49)

Gendarmenmarkt (7)

New Guard (11)

Red Town Hall (Rotes Rathaus) (26)

Siegessäule - Victory Column (43)

Zehlendorf District (52)

INTERESTING

Auditorium (Konzerthaus) (7C)

Church of Saint Nicholas (Nikolaikirche) (29)

Friedrichswerdersche Church (31)

Humboldt University (10)

National Library (12)

Saint Hedwig's Cathedral (9)

Unter Den Linden Street (6)

Berlin Sculpture (37)

Ephraim Palace (30)

Funkturmz (40)

KaDeWe - Department Store (38)

National Opera House (Staatsoper) (13)

Soviet Monument (Sowjetisches Ehrenmal) (51)

Berlin Zoo (42)

Fountain of Neptune (Neptunbrunnen) (25)

German Church (Deutscher Dom) (7B)

Kurfürstendamm Avenue (39)

New National Library (Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin) (50)

The Holocaust Monument (5)

Church of Saint Maria (Marienkirche) (24)

French Church (Franzoischer Dom) (7A)

House of World Cultures (45)

Marx-Engels Forum (27)

Pfaueninsel Palace (53)

The New Synagoge (32)

MUSEUM

Alte Nationalgalerie (19)

Island of Museums (15)

Pergamon Museum (18)

Altes Museum (16)

Jewish Museum (Jüdisches Museum) (58)

Zeughaus and German History Museum (14)

Anne Frank Centre (60)

Neues Museum (17)

Bode Museum (20)

New National Galery (47)