The corner of Unter den Linden and Friedrichstraße, where two of the grandest, most representative streets of the “Imperial City” of Berlin met, was one of the city’s busiest intersections at the turn of the century. It was here that a trio of luminous cafés – the Café Bauer, the Café Victoria, and the Café Kranzler – built the heavenly "three-part cafe constellation." But increasing volumes of traffic (with all the accompanying air and noise pollution) also belonged to daily life in the bustling metropolis. The two-story omnibus shown here was part of the city's growing transportation network, which included omnibuses, streetcars, and, beginning in 1902, subways. Pedestrians, bicyclists, omnibuses, automobiles, horse-drawn cars, and carriages shared streets that were soon packed full, making it necessary for the police to regulate traffic.