Mitte (locality)

Mitte (German: [ˈmɪtə] (listen)) (German for "middle" or "center", commonly used without an article) is a central locality (Ortsteil) of Berlin in the eponymous district (Bezirk) of Mitte. Until 2001, it was itself an autonomous district.

"Berlin-Mitte" redirects here. For the borough, see Mitte.
Mitte
Quarter of Berlin
Panoramic view of Mitte
Coat of arms
Location of Mitte in Mitte district and Berlin
Mitte
Mitte
Coordinates: 52°31′10″N 13°24′24″E
CountryGermany
StateBerlin
CityBerlin
BoroughMitte
Founded1920
Subdivisions13 zones
Area
 • Total10.7 km2 (4.1 sq mi)
Elevation
52 m (171 ft)
Population
 (2009-06-30)
 • Total79,582
 • Density7,400/km2 (19,000/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
Postal codes
(nr. 0101) 10115, 10117, 10119, 10178, 10179, 10435
Vehicle registrationB
Zones of Mitte

It comprises the historic center of Alt-Berlin centered around the churches of St. Nicholas and St. Mary, renowned Museum Island, the city hall Rotes Rathaus, the city administrative building Altes Stadthaus, the famous Fernsehturm, Brandenburg Gate at the end of the central boulevard Unter den Linden and more main tourist attractions of the city. For these reasons, Mitte is considered the "heart" of Berlin.

History
Map of 1688
See also: Cölln and History of Berlin

The history of Mitte corresponds to the history of the entire city until the early 20th century, and with the Greater Berlin Act in 1920 it became the first district of the city. It was among the areas of the city most heavily damaged in World War II.

Following a territorial redeployment by the Soviet Union and the United Kingdom that reshaped the borders of West Berlin's British Sector in August 1945, the western part of Staaken became in effect as of 1 February 1951 an exclave of Mitte, then still a borough of East Berlin. This ended on 1 January 1961, when western Staaken was incorporated into then East German Falkensee, which had already been under its de facto administration since 1 June 1952.

Between 1961 and 1990, Mitte, one of the most important boroughs of East Berlin but close to all three western sectors of the city, was almost surrounded by the Berlin Wall. One of the most important border crossings was Checkpoint Charlie, near Kreuzberg.[1]

Geography

Position

Situated in central Berlin and mostly in its old town, it is traversed by the river Spree. It borders the localities of Tiergarten, Moabit, Wedding, Gesundbrunnen, Prenzlauer Berg (in Pankow district), Friedrichshain, and Kreuzberg (both in Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg district).

Subdivision

Mitte is subdivided into 13 zones or neighborhoods (Stadtviertel) (the numbers refer to the map above right):

Sister cities

Main sights

Buildings and structures

Places, squares and streets

Photogallery
  • Brandenburg Gate
  • Fernsehturm
  • Rotes Rathaus
  • Alexanderplatz
  • Unter den Linden
  • Humboldt University of Berlin
  • Museum für Naturkunde
  • Potsdamer Platz
  • Pergamon Museum
  • Berlin Cathedral and Karl-Liebknecht-Straße
  • Inside Berlin State Opera
  • Nikolaiviertel
  • Museum Island
  • St. Hedwig's Cathedral
  • Neue Synagoge
  • Gendarmenmarkt with Französischer Dom and Konzerthaus
  • Deutscher Dom
  • Kunsthaus Tacheles
  • Checkpoint Charlie on Friedrichstrasse
  • Sophie-Gips-Höfe

Transportation
Berlin Alexanderplatz railway station

Mitte is served by S-Bahn lines S5, S7, S75, S9 (both on Berlin Stadtbahn); S1, S2, S25, and U-Bahn lines U2, U5, U6 and U8, as well as numerous tram and bus lines.

See also

References
  1. (in German) Historical infos about Mitte

Media related to Mitte at Wikimedia Commons

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