Neue Kirche

The Gendarmenmarkt is a grand square in Berlin’s Friedrichstadt. It brings together three striking landmarks: the Konzerthaus concert hall with a statue of poet Friedrich Schiller out front, the Neue Kirche (New Church), and the Französischer Dom (French Cathedral). The ensemble forms one of the city’s most elegant urban stages.

Deutscher Dom: Parliament’s story in a sacred shell

Berlin’s Deutscher Dom on the Gendarmenmarkt is often confused with the larger Berliner Dom, but they are different buildings. Completed in 1708, the Deutscher Dom holds no religious services today. Since 1992 it has presented a permanent exhibition on the history of German parliamentary democracy, titled “Paths, Losing Track and Detours.” The displays trace how representation and lawmaking evolved in Germany, with all the progress and setbacks along the way.

Französischer Dom and the Huguenot legacy

Opposite stands the Französischer Dom, home to the Huguenot Museum (Hugenottenmuseum) since 1929. The cathedral was designed to resemble the main Huguenot church in Charenton, France, which was destroyed in 1688. Here, the story of the French Protestants who came to Berlin after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes unfolds through documents, portraits, and everyday objects. The cathedral was noted as closed until 2019.

The museum highlights how Crown Prince Friedrich Wilhelm welcomed Huguenot settlers, many of whom were skilled artisans and professionals. Their arrival reshaped the city’s economy and culture. In one vivid scene, an artwork in room nine shows Crown Princess Dorothea reacting to a lavish gift of jewels from Pierre Fromery with the words, “But he’s a refugee!” The moment challenges old assumptions about refugees as poor and powerless, revealing the resources and talents many brought with them.

The Huguenot presence also left its mark on local speech. Berliners adopted expressions with French roots, and some became staples of the Berlin dialect. Words like Kinkerlitzchen (linked to the French “quincaillerie,” meaning small hardware or knick-knacks) and Muckefuck (possibly from “mocca faux,” or artificial coffee, though the origin is debated) show this blend of languages in daily life.