Cycle or stroll along Berlin’s historic tree-lined boulevard to see heritage landmarks, cultural institutions and a colonnade of grand old linden trees.
Unter den Linden is an arterial road with a pedestrianized pathway running east to west in Mitte’s historic heart. It was once one of the grandest streets in 19th-century Berlin. Walk, cycle or drive “under the linden trees” flanking each side of the boulevard from the Brandenburg Gate to the Schlossbrücke Bridge. See some of the city’s landmark museums, venues and heritage buildings as you explore the boulevard.
Begin your journey on the street’s western end, starting with the monumental splendour of the Brandenburg Gate. Walk east from the iconic classical archway and reach the pedestrianized mall shaded by grand old linden trees. Stop at Madame Tussauds to see realistic wax figurines and people-watch in Pariser Platz. Catch a modern opera performance at the Komische Oper Berlin or watch the classics at the Berlin State Opera (Berlin Staatsoper Unter den Linden).
At Bebelplatz, see a memorial dedicated to the infamous book-burning event by Nazi forces in 1933. The main campus of the Humboldt University and the neoclassical St. Hedwig’s Cathedral are nearby.
Continue onward to see Zeughaus, Unter den Linden’s oldest building. Having survived bomb blasts in World War II and the destruction of Prussian monuments in the 1950s, this former arsenal building now contains intriguing exhibits on German history and is connected to the modern German Historical Museum (Deutsches Historisches Museum). Cross the canal to reach the pretty greenery of the reconstructed Lustgarten, which fronts the neoclassical Altes Museum and its galleries of Roman and Greek artifacts. At the eastern border of Unter den Linden is the majestic cathedral, Berliner Dom, as well as the Schlossbrücke Bridge over the Spree River.
Unter den Linden is easy to reach by public transit to Brandenburger Tor train station. Alternatively, catch the subway to Französische Straße Station and walk a short distance north. The street is accessible daily at any time of the year and is easy to explore on foot, by bike or by car.
