t Schloss Tegel, designed by Karl Friedrich Schinkel
t Schloss Tegel, designed by Karl Friedrich Schinkel
Schloss Tegel is one of the most interesting palace complexes in Berlin. In the 16th century there was already a manor house on this site, which in the second half of the 17th century was rebuilt into a hunting lodge for the Elector Friedrich Wilhelm. In 1766 the ownership of the property passed to the Humboldt family, and, from 1820 to 1824, Karl Friedrich Schinkel thoroughly rebuilt the palace, giving it its current style.
There are tiled bas-reliefs decorating the elevations on the top floor of the towers. These were designed by Christian Daniel Rauch and depict the ancient wind gods. Some of Schinkel’s marvellous interiors have survived, along with several items from what was once a large collection of antique sculptures. The palace is still privately owned by descendants of the Humboldt family, but guided tours are offered at 10am, 11am, 3pm and 4pm on Mondays from May to September. It is also worth visiting the park. On its western limits lies the Humboldt family tomb, designed by Schinkel and decorated with a copy of a splendid sculpture by Bertel Thorwaldsen; the original piece stands inside the palace.
This building’s depressing, flat, brick-covered façade hides an interior of startling beauty. The huge edifice was constructed as a radio station between 1929 and 1931 to a design by Hans Poelzig. The building has a triangular shape, with three studio wings radiating from the central five-storey hall. The impressive Art Deco interiors, which are spectacularly lit from above, are enhanced by geometrically patterned rows of balconies and large, pendulous, octagonal lamps. They represent one of the finest architectural achievements of this era in Berlin.
From the studio concert hall, concerts are often broadcast on the RBB radio station (Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg).
This building is one of the most important textbook examples of modern architecture dating from the beginning of the 20th century. It was commissioned by the electronics company AEG in 1909 and designed by Peter Behrens in conjunction with Karl Bernhardt. While former Berlin’s industrial buildings were mostly red-brick and fortress-like, the Turbinenhalle was among the earliest structures not to incorporate any element, decorative or otherwise, that reflected previous architectural styles.
A huge hangar of a building, it has enormous windows and stretches 123 m (400 ft) down Berlichingenstrasse. The principal design imperative was to maintain a streamlined profile, while making no effort to disguise the construction materials. Today, the building is part of the Siemens company and is still used as a factory.
A narrow street leads from Saatwinkler Damm to the Plotzensee Memorial, marking the site where nearly 2,500 people convicted of crimes against the Third Reich were hanged. It is a simple memorial in a brick hut, which still has the iron hooks from which the victims were suspended. While the main figures in the unsuccessful assassination attempt on Hitler, on 20 July 1944, were executed in Bendlerblock, the rest of the conspirators were killed here. Count Helmuth James von Moltke, one of the leaders of the German resistance movement, was also executed here. The count organized the Kreisauer Kreis – a political movement which united German opposition to Hitler.
Plötzensee is also home to one of the city’s finest outdoor beaches – Strandbad Plötzensee.
This villa sits on a peninsula which cuts into the Tegeler See, reminiscent of Schloss Sanssouci in Potsdam. It was built much later, however, between 1911 and 1913. It was designed by Alfred Salinger and Eugen Schmohl for the Borsigs, one of the wealthiest industrialist families in Berlin. This villa is particularly picturesque when seen from the lake, so it is worth looking out for it from a boat cruise.
& Wedding, Gesundbrunnen Seestrasse, Osloer Strasse @ 133, 222, 224, then a 15-minute walk
t Urban landscape in the district of Wedding
Wedding is an interesting, up-and-coming area. Artists are taking over abandoned industrial buildings, a lively theatre and gallery scene is developing and the area is becoming more attractive to renters and buyers. Volkspark Rehberge, a beautiful park, is a hidden gem.
This apartment building by Le Corbusier, on a hill near the site of the Olympiastadion, was the architect’s entry to the 1957 Internationale Bauausstellung. His innovative design for what he called a Unité d’Habitation was an attempt to create fully self-sufficient housing estates in answer to a Europe-wide housing shortage. He built three of these complexes, the most famous being in Marseilles. For his Berlin design, Le Corbusier wanted to build over 500 two-storey apartments with integral services, such as a post office, shops, a sports hall and nursery school. Financial pressures prevented all of Le Corbusier’s aspirations from being fulfilled; nevertheless, the monolithic building was a milestone for West Berlin’s postwar architecture. For some, it will always be the “Wohnmaschine” (dwelling machine) and they criticize the jail-like hallways, called “streets” by the architect. Others praise the Bauhaus-inspired clear lines, airy, light-filled apartments and the architectural departure from ornamental features.
The apartments are mostly privately owned, but you can see the interior on tours that take place on Saturdays; check the website for details.
The pavilions of these vast exhibition and trade halls cover more than 160,000 sq m (1,700,000 sq ft). Many of the international events organized here are among the largest events of their kind in Europe.
The original exhibition halls on this site were built before World War I, but nothing of those buildings remains. The oldest part is the Funkturm and the group of pavilions which surround it. The huge building at the front – Ehrenhalle – was built in 1936 to a design by Richard Ermisch, and is one of the few surviving buildings in Berlin designed in a Fascist architectural style.
The straight motorway that lies at the rear of the halls, in the direction of Nikolassee, is the famous Avus, the first German Autobahn, built in 1921. It was adapted for motor racing and became Germany’s first car-racing track. It was here that the world speed record was broken before World War II. Now it forms part of the Autobahn system.
This radio tower, which resembles Paris’s Eiffel Tower, has become one of Berlin’s most recognizable landmarks. Built in 1924 to a design by Heinrich Straumer, it rises 150 m (500 ft) into the air. It now operates as both an air-traffic control tower and radio mast. Visitors can enjoy views on the observation terrace at 125 m (400 ft), or dine at the Funkturm’s lofty restaurant at 55 m (180 ft). The terrace may close for safety in bad weather.
⌂ Sensburger Allee 25 Heerstrasse @ 218, X34, X49 # 10am–6pm daily ∑ georg-kolbe-museum.de
t The Georg-Kolbe-Museum, with its collection of 20th-century sculpture
One of the most renowned German sculptors, Georg Kolbe (1877–1947) bequeathed the house in which he lived and worked for almost his entire life to the city of Berlin. Trained as a painter and draughtsman, Kolbe became famous for his expressive works that came to symbolize the early freedoms of the Weimar era.
Kolbe also left the city 180 of his sculptures and his art collection, which includes works by the Expressionist painter Ernst Ludwig Kirchner and the sculptor Wilhelm Lehmbruck. The museum has expanded its collection to include many more sculptures by Kolbe’s peers. Visiting here is not only a rare chance to get to know Kolbe’s works but also an opportunity to see his house and workshop, which displays tools and various devices for lifting a heavy sculpture.
Workshops with sculptors are held here regularly and exhibitions on challenging and topical subjects, for example contemporary body image, draw large audiences.
Spandau is one of the oldest towns in the Greater Berlin area. Evidence of the earliest settlement dates back to the 8th century, although the town of Spandau was only granted a charter in 1232.
The area was spared the worst of the World War II bombing, so the town has managed to retain a distinctive, historical character. The heart of the town is a network of medieval streets with a picturesque market square and a number of original timber-framed houses. In the north of Spandau sections of the 15th-century town wall still stand, and in the centre of town is the magnificent Gothic St-Nikolai-Kirche, dating from the 14th century.
A castle was first built on the site of the Zitadelle Spandau (Spandau citadel) in the 12th century, but today only the 36-m (120-ft) Juliusturm (Julius tower) remains. The fortress was built between 1560 and 1590, to a design by Francesco Chiaramella da Gandino. Though the citadel had a jail, Rudolf Hess, Spandau’s most infamous resident, was incarcerated a short distance away in a military prison after the 1946 Nuremberg trials.
Today, the Zitadelle is a fascinating place to explore, and hosts a popular music festival in summer.
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⌂ Am Juliusturm 64 # 10am–5pm daily ∑ zitadelle-berlin.de
⌂ Olympischer Platz & Olympiastadion @ 218, M49 # Opening times vary, see website for details ∑ olympiastadion.berlin
t The Olympiastadion, built for the historic 1936 Berlin Olympics
The plans for this stadium were conceived in 1933, when Adolf Hitler ordered the construction of a grandiose sporting complex for the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin. It was designed by Werner March in the Nazi architectural style and was inspired by the architecture of ancient Rome.
To the west of the stadium lie the Maifeld and the Waldbühne. The Maifield is an enormous assembly ground fronted by the Glockenturm, a 77-m (250-ft) bell tower with a viewing platform. The bell inside the tower is a replica of the original, which was damaged during World War II and is now on display outisde the stadium. The Waldbühne is an open-air amphitheatre with a design inspired by the ancient theatre of Epidaurus in Greece.
Following a €236-million refurbishment, the stadium reopened in 2004 as a high-tech arena. The Deutsches Sportmuseum next to the stadium also hosts concerts and shows.
Experience Beyond The Center
This magnificent, perfectly proportioned 16th-century citadel stands where the Spree and Havel rivers meet. Both the main citadel and its 19th-century additions are still in excellent condition. It holds museums of local history and an observation terrace on the Juliusturm.
1 Bastion Kronprinz
2 Bastion Brandenburg
3 Palace
4 Main gate
5 Bastion König
6 Bastion Königin
7 Juliusturm
8 Ravelin Schweinekopf