Claim: Berlin is seven years old.
Evidence: First documented in the 13th century and situated at the crossing of two important historic trade routes , Berlin became the capital of the Margraviate of Brandenburg -LRB- 14171701 -RRB- , the Kingdom of Prussia -LRB- 1701 -- 1918 -RRB- , the German Empire -LRB- 1871 -- 1918 -RRB- , the Weimar Republic -LRB- 1919 -- 1933 -RRB- and the Third Reich -LRB- 1933 -- 1945 -RRB-.