Kurfürstendamm, Berlin
Kurfürstendamm (often called Ku'damm) is one of Berlin’s most iconic avenues, named after the prince-electors of Brandenburg. Stretching 3.5 km (2.2 mi), it is often compared to Paris’s Champs-Élysées, lined with shops, hotels, restaurants, and designer boutiques, as well as car showrooms. The street features four rows of plane trees and runs from Breitscheidplatz, where the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church stands, southwest to Grunewald. Historically, it was a corduroy road created by Brandenburg margraves to reach the Grunewald hunting lodge. The name appeared between 1767 and 1787. The avenue hosts landmarks like Café Kranzler, the Theater am Kurfürstendamm, and the Schaubühne theatre. Its western end is marked by the Halensee station and the controversial "Beton Cadillacs" sculpture.
|