Berlin

The history of Berlin traces back to the 12th century, when it emerged as a trading post. Over the centuries, Berlin grew in political and cultural significance, especially under the Hohenzollern dynasty, which elevated it to the capital of the Margraviate of Brandenburg in the 15th century and later the Kingdom of Prussia in 1701. The 18th and 19th centuries saw Berlin flourish as a centre of Enlightenment thought, industrialisation, and scientific innovation, culminating in its role as the capital of the German Empire in 1871. The early 20th century brought both cultural golden ages – notably during the Weimar Republic – and the devastations of World War II, during which Berlin suffered extensive bombing and the final Battle of Berlin in 1945.

After World War II, Berlin became a focal point of Cold War tensions, divided into East and West sectors by the victorious Allies. The construction of the Berlin Wall in 1961 physically and ideologically split the city, symbolising the broader division between communist and capitalist blocs. The fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 marked a turning point, leading to German reunification in 1990 and the restoration of Berlin as the nation's capital and a major world city.