Theatres
and Venues |
Wilmersdorf |
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The former Universum Cinema, now the Schaubühne at Lehniner Platz |
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Index
Hostel
am Flußbad
Friends of Italian Opera
Babylon
Cinema
Franciscan
Monastery
Körnerpark
Gallery
Universum
Cinema
Lübars
Village Green
Späthsches
Arboretum
Gallery
Mutter Fourage
Orphtheatre
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Motor
bonnets, ships’ hulls and aircraft wings were the inspiration for Erich
Mendelsohn’s highly dynamic architectural work. The Universum-Kino,
built on the upper Kurfürstendamm in 1927/8 is regarded as a high point
in the exciting work of this master of construction. It was burnt down in
the last days of the war. Rebuilt, it gained a reputation in the late 60’s
as a beatnik hangout and musical theatre. Then speculative development
started. The Mendelsohn building was saved, literally at the last minute
by the Schaubühne am Halleschen Ufer who were looking for larger
premises. However, the structural changes that the theatre demanded were so
extensive that the alterations, which took from 1978-1981, came to much
the same as demolition and rebuilding. The newspaper Der Tagesspiel made
fun of the proceedings by asking, “Has a preserved building been saved
by being demolished, for without its new use it was impossible to save and
without being demolished, impossible to use?” The building, which looks
like a huge advertisement hoarding and which meets the Kurfürstendamm at
one corner , is one of seven buildings in Berlin that are memorials to
this great Jewish architect. It has more significance for the city than
simply a document of architectural history. |
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Address: Lehniner Platz 10709 Berlin
Bus, Tube, Tram: U 7 Adenauerplatz; Bus 110, 119, 129, 219
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