Across Berlin today, grunge seems more widely appreciated than old-fashioned style. The Charlottenburg district in the former West Berlin is a striking exception. Florid 'Jugendstil' (Art Nouveau) buildings line the residential streets either side of the famous Kurfurstendamm shopping strip with its slick designer boutiques. A few kilometres away stands Schloss Charlottenburg, a 17th-century royal summer retreat which grew into an imposing 18th-19th century palace. Across the street from the Schloss, two former barracks house further museums, and of these the Broehan focuses on the design movements of the so-called Belle Epoque, which was brought to an end by the outbreak of the First World War.

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