On October 29, 1838, the inaugural journey on the Berlin-Potsdam railway took place. Regarding the mood of the participants, the Vossische Zeitung stated: "Everyone felt that this would be the starting point of a significant future." In Prussia, the age of railways began, and in Berlin, a rapid industrialization was unfolding. As early as 1837, August Borsig had opened his iron foundry and machine factory on Chausseestrasse near the Oranienburger Tor. Ten years later, Adolph Menzel created "The Berlin-Potsdam Railway," one of the first paintings depicting a moving train. Among the early works of art is also the large-format view of Borsig's machine factory by Carl Eduard Biermann, painted in the same year as Menzel's railway picture. Significant changes in the cityscape occurred especially in the second half of the 19th century.