Page:Three Years in Europe.djvu/329

Rh The Royal Palace or castle is a large imposing building, four stories high. The interior of this great palace is finely decorated and ornamented with historic portraits, including some of Frederick the Great. The visitor is taken through a succession of antechambers and reception rooms, until he comes to the old Throne Room gorgeous in its decorations. Then come the picture gallery, the Queen's chamber, the magnificent white saloon and last of all the Royal chapel. The dome above the Royal chapel is 240 ft. high.

We now leave the island behind and crossing the other branch of the Spree, come to the old town. The finest building here is Rathhaus or Town Hall, a superb building of red brick with a tower which is the highest in Berlin and can be seen from miles around.

The Unterden Linden although the most spacious street in Berlin is by no means the only fine street in the city. On the contrary, the beauty of the town consists in its number of fine streets, all running straight, and lined with the finest houses that any town can boast of. Two of these streets, the Wilhelm Street and the Frederick Street are specially and remarkably fine. They both run north and south, and meet at the extreme south at a place called the Belle Alliance.

Wilhelm Street issues from the Parish Place of which I have spoken before and is lined by a succession of the finest houses n Berlin. House No. 77, somewhat humble in