The main city of the Federal Republic of Germany is undeniably growing in importance both in the frames of national and global perspective. The city, founded in the 13th century, had spatially and demographically expanded for several centuries in succession, and at the same time, it developed its traffic and economy. Events that occurred during the last century, primarily the World War II, left the city with catastrophic consequences (the Berlin Wall as the main brake on development) and halted its smooth development. For this reason it is questionable how long will it take before the city of Berlin returns its strength as it had at the beginning of 20th century. Having that in mind, Berlin with its unique past represents an interesting starting point for exploring its urban-geographic development. Within the survey, the starting point is an introductory part that explains the geographical features of the space. In the second part, there is given an overview of Berlin's history since its foundation to this day. The emphasis is put on the 20th century, which had an indelible mark on the development of the city. Finally, there is an analysis of the present situation and plans for further development, as well as Berlin's position in the global context. The aim of the paper is to investigate how historical circumstances modified the city's evolution, with reference to the influence of political factors. Methods of work will include a review and analysis of available scientific and professional literature and relevant statistical sources.