Originally the square was called the Ochsenmarkt or ox market, but in 1805, after a visit by Russian Tzar Alexander I it was renamed to Alexanderplatz. The locals simply call this large square 'Alex'.

Most of the buildings on the square were destroyed by allied bombing during the Second World War. After the war it became the center of East-Berlin and the square was used as a showcase of socialist architecture. This resulted in some plain bulky buildings and a huge television tower.