When Friedrich Wilhelm—the “great elector”—came to power in 1641, Berlin’s development into an international metropolis began—not only in political terms, but also with respect to its architectural history. The european impact and finest artistic quality of Berlin’s new architecture and sculpture helped to assert its position in competition with other European capitals. Buildings and areas of urban development dating from the period of the baroque to that of classicism characterize the face of Berlin to the present day. In the first lavishly illustrated volume of his Berlin building history, Helmut Engel presents a vivid panorama of building activity in Berlin up to the middle of the 19th century.