Origins of Berlin

Berlin began as two small trading towns on the Spree river, Berlin and Cölln, first mentioned in documents in the 13th century. They grew in the territory of the Ascanian margraves of Brandenburg and joined in the Hanseatic trade network, merging their administration in the 14th century. The Hohenzollern rulers of Brandenburg chose the city as their residence in the 15th century, and it became the capital of Brandenburg-Prussia and later of the Kingdom of Prussia. After German unification in 1871, Berlin was the capital of the German Empire. The city was divided during the Cold War and reunited as the capital of Germany in 1990.

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