CHARLOTTENBURG AND SPANDAU
The sophisticated haute bourgeoisie enclave of Charlottenburg was the only Berlin district that did not touch the Wall. The historical streets off Ku’damm feature galleries, boutiques, cafés and restaurants set in stout early 20th-century residential houses. These streets and the proud town hall remind us that this was once Prussia’s richest town, which was only incorporated into the city of Berlin in 1920. Spandau, on the other side of the Spree and Havel, is almost rural in comparison, with a Late Medieval core and citadel that make it seem like a small independent town.
1. Kurfürstendamm
This famous Berlin boulevard was frequented by writers, directors and painters in the interwar years. Today it is a lively avenue lined with designer stores and elegant cafés (see Kurfürstendamm).
2. Schloss Charlottenburg
The Baroque and English-style gardens of this Hohenzollern summer residence are ideal for a stroll. The palace’s restored interiors are stunning (see Schloss Charlottenburg).
Palace detail, Charlottenburg
3. Zitadelle Spandau
Am Juliusturm • 10am–5pm daily • (030) 354 94 40 • Adm
Berlin’s only surviving fortress, this citadel at the confluence of the Havel and Spree is strategically well sited. The structure, built in 1560 by Francesco Chiaramella da Gandino, was based on Italian forts. It has four bastions – Brandenburg, Kronprinz (crown prince), Königin (queen) and König (king). The Juliusturm, a remnant of a fortress that stood here as early as the 12th century, is a keep that was used as a prison in the 19th century. At the time, Berliners used to say “off to the Julio” when they sent criminals to prison. Later, the reparations paid by France after its defeat in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–71 were kept here.
The imposing Zitadelle Spandau
4. Zoologischer Garten
Founded in 1844, this is the country’s oldest and most prominent zoological garden, combined with an aquarium (see Zoologischer Garten).
5. Spandau Old Town
Breite Str., Spandau
When walking around Spandau’s pedestrianized Old Town (Altstadt), it is easy to forget that you are still in Berlin. The narrow alleyways and nooks and crannies around the 13th-century Nikolaikirche are lined by Late Medieval houses, a reminder that Spandau was founded in 1197 and is older than Berlin itself. The Gotisches Haus – the oldest house in Berlin, dating back to the late 15th century – stands at Breite Straße 32. It was built of stone at a time when most houses were made of wood. It is now the Visitor Information Centre, and some of its rooms are used to showcase finds from the house and other artifacts of the period.
Exterior of the 15th-century Gotisches Haus in Spandau’s Altstadt
6. Savignyplatz
An der Kantstr.
One of Berlin’s most attractive squares is right in the heart of Charlottenburg. Savignyplatz, named after a 19th-century German legal scholar, is the focal point of the neighbourhood’s reputation as a district for artists and intellectuals and as a trendy area for dining out and entertainment. The square has two green spaces, either side of Kantstraße. It was built in the 1920s as part of an effort to create parks in the centre of town. Small paths, benches and pergolas make it a pleasant place for a rest. Dotted all around Savignyplatz are street cafés, restaurants and shops, especially in Grolman-, Knesebeck-, and Carmerstraße, all three of which cross the square. Many a reveller has lost his way here after a night out celebrating, which is why the area is jokingly known as the “Savignydreieck” (the Savigny Triangle). North of Savignyplatz it is worth exploring some of the most attractive streets in Charlottenburg, including Knesebeck-, Schlüter- and Goethestraße. This is still a thriving Charlottenburg community; the small shops, numerous bookstores, cafés and specialist retailers are always busy, especially on Saturdays. South of the square, the red-tiled S-Bahn arches also lure visitors with their shops, cafés and bars, particularly the Savignypassage near Bleibtreustraße and the small passageway between Grolman- and Uhlandstraße on the opposite side of the square.
7. Fasanenstraße
Charlottenburg
This elegant street is the most attractive and trendiest street off Kurfürstendamm. Designer shops, galleries and restaurants are tucked away here, a shoppers’ paradise for all those who regard Ku’damm as a mere retail strip catering for the masses. The junction of Ku’damm and Fasanenstraße is one of the liveliest spots in Berlin. One of the best known places is the Kempinski Hotel Bristol Berlin at the northern end of Fasanenstraße. The former bank opposite cleverly combines a historic building with a modern structure. Next to it is the Jüdisches Gemeindehaus, the Jewish community house and a little farther along, at the junction with Kantstraße, is the Kant-Dreieck. The Berliner Börse (the stock exchange), based in the ultra-modern Ludwig-Erhard-Haus, is just above, at the corner of Hardenbergstraße. The southern end of the street is dominated by residential villas, some of which may seem a little pompous, as well as the Literaturhaus, Villa Grisebach, one of the oldest art auction houses in Berlin, and the Käthe-Kollwitz-Museum, which holds about 200 of the Berlin artist’s works, including several self-portraits. There are also some very expensive fashion stores here, as well as a few cosy restaurants. At its southern end, the street leads to picturesque Fasanenplatz, where many artists lived before 1933.
Antiques store on Fasanenstraße
8. Funkturm and Messegelände
Messedamm 22 • (030) 303 80 • 10am–8pm Mon, 10am– 11pm Tue–Sun (tower) • Adm • www.messe-berlin.de/en/
The 150-m (492-ft) high Funkturm (TV tower), reminiscent of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, is one of the landmarks of Berlin that can be seen from afar. Built in 1924 to plans by Heinrich Straumer, it served as an aerial and as an air-traffic control tower. The viewing platform at 125 m (410 ft) provides magnificent views, while the restaurant, situated at 55 m (180 ft), overlooks the oldest part of the complex, the exhibition centre and the surrounding pavillions. The giant building in the east is the Hall of Honour built to designs by Richard Ermisch in 1936, in the colossal Fascist architectural style. On the opposite side rises the shiny silver ICC, the International Congress Centrum, built in 1975–9 by Ralf Schüler and Ursulina Schüler-Witte. Once considered one of the world’s most advanced conference centres, it has fallen into a state of disrepair and may be demolished. Nearby is the two-tier CityCube, Berlin’s new trade fair and conference facility. The expansive ExpoCenter grounds (160,000 sq m/40 acres) around it host Grüne Woche (Green Week, an agricultural fair), Internationale Tourismus Börse (ITB, a tourism fair) and Internationale Funkausstellung (IFA, the consumer electronics fair).
The Funkturm rising above the old ICC building at the Messegelände
9. Museum für Fotografie
Jebensstr. 2 • 10am–6pm Tue–Sun (to 8pm Thu) • Adm • www.smb.museum
Helmut Newton (1931–2004), the world-famous photographer, has finally returned to his home city. This museum presents changing exhibitions of his early fashion and nude photography, as well as his photos of the famous, rich and beautiful, artfully captured since 1947.
Museum für Fotografie
10. Käthe-Kollwitz-Museum
Fasanenstr. 24 • (030) 882 52 10 • 11am–6pm daily • Adm • www.kaethe-kollwitz.de
The museum is dedicated to Berlin artist Käthe Kollwitz (1867–1945), who recorded 1920s workers’ lives in prints, graphics and sketches. After losing a son and a grandson in World War I, she concentrated on the themes of war and motherhood.
SPANDAU AND BERLIN
Berliners consider the Spandauers to be rather different sorts of people, provincial and rough, and not “real” Berliners at all. But the Spandauers can reassure themselves that Spandau is 60 years older than Berlin, and proudly point to their independent history. The mutual mistrust is not just a result of Spandau’s geographical location, isolated from the remainder of the city by the Havel and Spree Rivers. It is also due to the fact that Spandau was only incorporated into Berlin in 1920. Spandauers today still say they are going “to Berlin”, even though the city centre is only a few U-bahn stops away.
THE HISTORY OF CHARLOTTENBURG
The magnificent Charlottenburger Rathaus or town hall on Otto-Suhr-Allee is a reminder of the time when this district of 200,000 people was an independent town. The town, named after the eponymous palace, arose in 1705 from the medieval settlement of Lietzow. Towards the end of the 19th century, Charlottenburg – then the wealthiest town in Prussia – enjoyed a meteoric rise following the construction of the Westend colony of villas and of Kurfürstendamm. Thanks to its numerous theatres, the opera and the Technical University, the district developed into Berlin’s west end during the 1920s.
A DAY IN CHARLOTTENBURG
Morning
Begin your tour of Charlottenburg at Breitscheidplatz and head west along Kurfürstendamm. At Fasanenstraße turn left to visit the Käthe-Kollwitz-Museum and the Literaturhaus. You could stop for a mid-morning breakfast at the lovely Café Wintergarten in the Literaturhaus, before going back up Fasanenstraße in a northerly direction. You will pass the Kempinski Hotel Bristol Berlin on the left, and on the right you can see the Jüdisches Gemeindehaus and the Ludwig-Erhard-Haus. Diagonally opposite across Kantstraße stands the Theater des Westens. Turn left and head west along Kantstraße until you reach the shopping centre Stilwerk, a place no one has ever been known to leave without buying something.
Afternoon
Carry on west along Kantstraße to Savignyplatz. Northwest of the square, at Grolmanstraße 51, the tiny Indian eatery Ashoka is a great place for lunch. Explore the small streets around the square, such as Carmer-, Knesebeck- and Mommsenstraße. Browse the small retailers for unique gifts, and visit Café Savigny for coffee and a fruit flan with whipped cream. Head back up Kantstraße and Jebensstraße to end your tour with a visit to the Museum für Fotographie where you can marvel at Helmut Newton’s iconic Big Nudes.
A SPANDAU AND WESTEND WALK
Morning
Start with a journey on the U-Bahn. From the centre of town, take a U2 train in the direction of Ruhleben, and at Bismarckstraße station change to the U7 train in the direction of Rathaus Spandau. Ten minutes later you will have reached the centre of Spandau Old Town, where you can visit Breite Straße and Nikolaikirche. Before returning to Charlottenburg, visit the Zitadelle Spandau. There, in the Zitadellenschänke, you can also enjoy a late breakfast. Return by U-Bahn, getting off at the Wilmersdorfer Straße station, one of the few pedestrianized areas in Berlin. This is a particularly good area for shopaholics and bargain hunters.
Afternoon
From Wilmersdorfer Straße a 30-minute walk west along Kantstraße and Neue Kantstraße will take you to the Funkturm and the Messegelände with the “Ehrenhalle”. Have lunch at the Funkturm-Restaurant and enjoy the magnificent views. The Haus des Rundfunks (broadcasting house) nearby and the Georg-Kolbe-Museum, a 25-minute walk (or brief S-Bahn ride) away, are worth visiting. Then, if you still have time and energy, take the S-Bahn to the Olympiastadion. In the evening, return to Savignyplatz by S75 from S-Olympiastadion. End your day by enjoying inventive, hearty Franconian cooking at the famed Florian.
The Best Of The Rest
1. Georg-Kolbe-Museum
Sensburger Allee 25 • (030) 304 21 44 • 10am–6pm Tue–Sun • Adm • www.georg-kolbe-museum.de
Sculptures by Kolbe (1877–1947) are exhibited in his home and workshop.
2. Le-Corbusier-Haus
Flatowallee 16
This innovative block was built for the 1957 Interbau trade fair. French architect Le Corbusier lived here.
3. Jüdisches Gemeindehaus
Fasanenstr. 79–80 • (030) 88 02 82 06
The Jewish community house stands on the site of the Charlottenburg synagogue. It was damaged during Reichskristallnacht on 9 November 1938 and mostly destroyed during World War II. Only the portal remains.
4. Theater des Westens
Kantstr. 12 • (0180) 544 44
Based in an attractive building from 1895–6, this theatre is regarded as one of Germany’s best musical theatres (see Theater des Westens).
5. Technische Universität
Str. des 17. Juni • (030) 31 40 • 8am–8pm Mon–Fri
Berlin’s Technical University was founded in 1879.
6. Olympiastadion
Olympischer Platz • (030) 25 00 23 22 • mid-Mar–Oct: 9am–7pm daily (to 8pm Aug); Nov–mid-Mar: 10am–4pm daily)
Built for the 1936 Olympic Games, the stadium is an example of Fascist architecture favoured by the Nazis.
The Fascist-style architecture of the Olympiastadion
7. Deutsche Oper
Bismarckstr. 34–37 • (030) 34 38 43 43 • Adm
The German Opera, opened in 1961, specializes in Italian and German classics (see Deutsche Oper).
8. Denkmal Benno Ohnesorg
Bismarckstr.
Alfred Hrdlicka’s 1971 sculpture commemorates the student Benno Ohnesorg, who was shot dead here during a demonstration in April 1967.
9. Universität der Künste
Hardenbergstr. 32–33 • (030) 318 50 • 8am–6pm Mon–Fri
The School of Art is one of the best German universities for the fine arts, architecture and design.
10. Renaissance Theater
Knesebeckstr. 100 • (030) 315 97 30, (030) 312 42 02 (tickets)
A jem of Art Deco architecture, this little venue has been run as an actors’ theatre since the 1920s.
Shops And Markets
1. Stilwerk
Kantstr. 17 • (030) 31 51 50
A shopping centre specializing in stylish designer home furnishings (see Stilwerk).
Stilwerk in Charlottenburg
2. Manufactum Store
Hardenbergstr. 4-5, • (030) 24 03 38 44•10am–8pm Mon–Sat
Unique store with a lovely selection of classic and sustainable textiles, retro design furniture, garden tools, lamps and office supplies.
3. Peek & Cloppenburg
Tauentzienstr. 19 • (0800) 555 90 50 • 10am–8pm Mon–Sat
Offering five floors of men’s, women’s and children’s clothing, this is one of Berlin’s most popular stores.
4. Amorph Black
Schlüterstrasse 37 • (030) 88 72 09 24 • 11am–7pm Mon–Sat
Trendy concept store offering a great choice of top brands and inhouse collection. Shoes are designed by the shop owner, Iris Jorde.
5. Lindner
Knesebeckstr. 92 • (030) 313 53 75 • 8am–6pm Mon–Fri, 8am–1:30pm Sat
Traditional Berlin store specializing in fresh, homemade delicatessen products. Of its many branches, this is one of the most attractive.
Lindner store and deli
6. Jil Sander
Kurfürstendamm 185 • (030) 886 70 20
Simple, elegant designer fashions for men and women are for sale at this cool boutique.
7. Bücherbogen
Stadtbahnbogen 593 (Savignyplatz) • (030) 31 86 95 11
Berlin’s leading arts and photography bookseller is tucked away within three arches under the S-Bahn viaduct.
8. Patrick Hellman
Schlüterstr. 45 • (030) 88 48 77 16/19 • 10am–7pm Mon–Fri, 10am–6pm Sat
Gentlemen’s fashions made from the best materials, including Hellmann’s own collection and clothes from well-known designers.
9. Tee Gschwendner
Kurfürstendamm 217 • (030) 881 91 81 • 10am–7pm Mon–Fri, 10am–4pm Sat
This tiny store is a haven for tea lovers, and upstairs you can try out a new flavour in their own tea room.
10. TITUS Berlin Zoopreme
Meinekestr. 2 • (030) 32 59 32 39 • 10am–8pm Mon–Sat
The latest must-have labels are stocked at this streetwear store.
Cafés And Coffee Shops
1. Café Wintergarten im Literaturhaus
Fasanenstr. 23 • (030) 882 54 14 • 9am–midnight daily
One of Berlin’s most beautiful cafés is based in the conservatory of an old city mansion. In summer guests can sit outside in the garden.
2. Café Savigny
Grolmanstr. 53–54 • (030) 32 89 06 61 • 9am–1am daily
This gay and lesbian café, with traditional 19th-century interior, has a relaxed atmosphere; the tarts are particularly worth trying.
3. Berliner Kaffeerösterei
Uhlandstraße 173 • (030) 88 67 79 20 • 9am–8pm Mon–Sat, 10am–7pm Sun
A cosy mix of traditional café and coffee bar, this place offers coffee beans from around the world, cakes and breakfast snacks.
Berliner Kaffeerösterei
4. Café Filmbühne am Steinplatz
Hardenbergstr. 12 • (030) 312 65 89 • 9am–midnight Mon–Fri, 9am–1am Sat & Sun
This coffee shop is popular thanks to its student atmosphere.
5. Einstein Coffeeshop
Kurfürstendamm 50a (off Ku’damm) • (030) 93 93 13 65 • 7:30am–8pm daily (from 8am Sat, 9am Sun)
Probably the most popular outlet of this upmarket chain, this revamped café heaves with the rich and beautiful of Charlottenburg.
6. Café Hardenberg
Hardenbergstr. 10 • (030) 312 26 44 • 9am–1am daily • no credit cards
A favourite of students and artists since the 1850s, this café has a great atmosphere and reasonable prices.
7. Balzac Coffee
Knesebeckstraße 1–2 • 7am–8pm Mon–Fri, 8am–8pm Sat, 8am–7pm Sun • no credit cards
A German gourmet coffee chain offering speciality drinks and snacks.
8. Der Kuchenladen
Kantstr. 138 • (030) 31 01 84 24 • 10am–6:30pm daily • no credit cards
Enjoy lemon tart, crème brûlée cake and other delicious home-made delights at this tiny café.
9. Café Kleine Orangerie
Spandauer Damm 20 • (030) 322 20 21 • 10am–6pm Tue–Sun
A small, pleasant garden café at the Charlottenburg Palace.
10. Schwarzes Café
Kantstr. 148 • (030) 313 80 38 • open around the clock
This alternative rock café offers excellent all-day breakfasts and is often packed until dawn.
The bohemian Schwarzes Café
Restaurants
1. Francucci’s
Kurfürstendamm 90 • (030) 323 33 18 • noon–midnight daily • €€
This popular Tuscan restaurant serves up excellent pizza, home-made pasta and creative meat and fish dishes.
2. Alt-Luxemburg
Windscheidstr. 31 • (030) 323 87 30 • 5pm–midnight Mon–Sat • €€
Since 1982, chef Karl Wannemacher has been dishing up exquisite French and German classics here.
3. Eiffel
Kurfürstendamm 105 • (030) 891 13 05 • 9–1am daily • €€
A large but still charming French restaurant with some traditional Berlin and Mediterranean dishes and outside tables.
4. Die Quadriga
Eislebener Str. 14 • (030) 21 40 50 • 6–11pm Tue–Sat • €€€
With talented chef André Haufler at the reins, this intimate restaurant, in the Dormero Hotel pairs creative French cuisine with an excellent wine selection. The elegant Art Deco salons overlook a Japanese garden.
5. Kuchi
Kantstr. 30 • (030) 31 50 78 16 • noon–11pm daily • no credit cards • €€
Thanks mainly to its exquisite sushi and mixed Asian hot dishes, this minimalist restaurant has a loyal clientele and ranks among the best sushi bars in town.
6. Florian
Grolmanstr. 52 • (030) 313 91 84 • 6pm–3am daily • €€
Fine Franconian food – inventive, robust and steadily high-quality – is on offer at this famed restaurant. Trendy and popular with film lovers, particularly during the Berlinale.
Outside tables at Florian
7. Lubitsch
Bleibtreustr. 47 • (030) 882 37 56 • 10am–midnight Mon–Sat, 6pm–midnight Sun • €€
A small, elegant restaurant, serving fresh, regional cuisine.
8. Mine Restaurant
Meinekestrasse 10 • (030) 88 92 63 63 • 6pm–midnight Tue–Sat • €€
This upmarket restaurant serves exciting Italian cuisine. The attached wine bar offers an array of biodynamic and natural wines.
9. Marjellchen
Mommsenstr. 9 • (030) 883 26 76 • 5pm–midnight daily • €€
This delightful restaurant serves hearty dishes from East Prussia, Pomerania and Silesia.
10. Ana e Bruno
Sophie-Charlotten-Str. 101 • (030) 325 71 10 • 5pm–midnight daily • €€€
Friendly and extremely elegant, Ana e Bruno is an excellent Italian restaurant in Berlin.