Ever wondered about the name Bundesallee? It wasn’t always Bundesallee. For many years it was known as Kaiserallee. This long avenue in Berlin’s Wilmersdorf and Friedenau districts has a rich history. It connects the western city center with the southwestern parts of Berlin.
Originally built between 1872 and 1874 it was called Kaiserstrasse. Its purpose was to link Charlottenburg with the then undeveloped areas of Wilmersdorf and the expanding villa colony of Gross-Lichterfelde. A Hamburg entrepreneur Johann Anton Wilhelm von Carstenn financed the street’s construction. He also developed the land around the Bundesallee. He designed a unique urban layout still partially visible today.
The southern part of Kaiserstrasse became Kaiserallee on March 16 1888. This was just a week after the death of Kaiser Wilhelm I. The northern section was named Rankestrasse. In July 1890 a tram line opened running from Zoologischer Garten station to Steglitz. Kaiserallee quickly became a vital north-south axis in western Berlin.
The Second World War heavily damaged the area. Almost all buildings between Spichernstrasse and Wilhelmsaue were reduced to ruins. On July 18 1950 the street was renamed Bundesallee. This was to celebrate the opening of the Bundeshaus at number 216-218. The then Chancellor Konrad Adenauer presided over the renaming ceremony. The Bundeshaus housed representatives of the federal government in Berlin until 1990.
A striking building before the war was the Beba-Palast Atrium. This cinema located at 178/179 Bundesallee was built in 1927. Its facade resembled the Roman Colosseum. It held 2025 seats. Unfortunately it was severely damaged during Allied air raids in 1943 and later demolished.
The famous children’s novel Emil and the Detectives is largely set at Cafe Josty. It was located on the corner of Kaiserallee and Trautenaustrasse. The author Erich Kastner wrote the novel there. Today there’s a gas station on that site. Many famous people lived along this street. This includes Marlene Dietrich Kurt Tucholsky and James Simon.
The Bundesallee underwent significant changes in the 1960s. The tram lines were removed. The street was widened to accommodate car traffic. Tunnels were built under Bundesplatz and Berliner Strasse. The original design of Friedrich-Wilhelm-Platz was altered. The area’s rebuilding was strikingly austere.
The U9 subway line was built under the Bundesallee. Sections were opened in 1961 and 1971. Despite its car-centric reconstruction the Bundesallee remains a significant artery for inner-city traffic. The Bundesallee is more than just a road. It is a living testament to Berlin’s dynamic past. It offers a glimpse into the city’s evolution. It also reflects its ongoing transformation.