Spittelmarkt (Berlin U-Bahn)

Spittelmarkt is a Berlin U-Bahn station located on the U2 line in Mitte, at the eastern end of Leipziger Straße. It opened on 1 October 1908 (by A.Greder), then the terminus of Berlin's second U-Bahn line, connecting it with Potsdamer Platz on the initial Stammstrecke route. It is named after Spittelmarkt square, former site of the Saint Gertrude hospital established about 1400. The station designed by Alfred Greder was lavishly erected right beneath the banks of the Spree river, with daylight windows above the water surface. Spittelmarkt became a through station with the extension of the line to Alexanderplatz on 1 July 1913. In 1940 the windows were walled up due to air raid precautions, and were not opened until extensive reconstruction works started in 2003. In 1990 a heavy accident occurred when a train crashed into a stopped train. Fourteen people were injured. Spilled oil had covered the tracks, so that the train couldn't brake anymore.