In this book, Christian Adam tells the story of the city on the Spree from its beginnings in the Middle Age to the start of the 21th Century – vividly, compactly, and supplemented by a wealth of illustrations. What were once the little medieval twin towns of Berlin/Cölln became the Hohenzollern seat of power and later the Prussian capital, but it was only after the founding of the German Empire in 1871 that the city received the real push of development that enabled it to grow into a true metropolis. The images, myths and clichés associated with this era continue to influence our idea of Berlin to this day. Perhaps the most lasting impressions were those made by the Twenties, which were characterized on the one hand by deep political strife and on the other by a highly productive cultural life.