برلين
Bebelplatz is the square of the Forum Fridericianum, created by Frederick II from 1740. The Staatsoper, the Alte Bibliothek and St. Hedwig's Cathedral all face onto it.
The king's forum
Frederick II came to the throne in 1740 and at once wanted a great centre for the arts and sciences. He gave the project to Georg Wenzeslaus von Knobelsdorff.
The first building was the opera house. Work began in 1741, and the very next year the king opened it. The theatre burned down in 1843 and was rebuilt. It is still the home of the Staatsoper, the State Opera.
The library and the church
The royal library was finished in 1780. Because of its curved shape, Berliners named it after a piece of furniture.
At first it was reserved for nobles, ministers and scholars. From 1810 students of the new university could use it too. St. Hedwig's Cathedral was the second building of the forum. It is a round building with a large dome.
A place of remembrance
On 10 May 1933, on this square, Nazi students burned books by writers, journalists, philosophers and scientists. A memorial recalls that day.
After the war the buildings were rebuilt. Today the old library houses the Faculty of Law of the Humboldt-Universität.
