Berlin-Alt-Treptow
is in the best of company: Along the southern banks of the Spree River,
Alt-Treptow rubs shoulders with three of Berlin’s most sought-after and
pulsating districts – Kreuzberg, Friedrichshain and Neukölln. Situated
at the heart of this neighborhood triangle, Alt-Treptow has emerged as
one of Berlin’s most popular residential districts. This is where
vibrant city life and verdant idyll come together to form a perfect
symbiosis: Alt-Treptow is among the greenest districts in the German
capital, home to Treptower Park, a glorious (and large) green idyll
alongside the river that attracts Berliners from near and far not only
to its expansive green spaces but also to its incredible views of the
water. Alt-Treptow is not only a green oasis, it is also within touching
distance of everything that makes Berlin young and hip: stylish
nightclubs, sensational restaurants, innovative start-ups and attractive
co-working spaces. And it is precisely this combination of being right
in the heart of the action and green haven that has established
Alt-Treptow as one of Berlin’s most popular residential areas. More than
perhaps any other part of Berlin, Alt-Treptow proves that urban living
and bucolic nature are by no means mutually exclusive.
An enchanted place
Wherever you look, the district’s East German past is still very much
in evidence. The former amusement park, Spreepark, in the Plänterwald
forest is a true Mecca for anyone hungry for discovery. Once East
Germany’s only amusement park, Spreepark has become an enchanted place,
left to return to nature. The park opened in 1969 to mark East Germany’s
20th anniversary. The park’s main attraction was its soaring Ferris
wheel, which also became one of the most iconic landmarks in the entire
district. In its heyday, 1.7 million people visited the amusement park
every year. After the fall of the Berlin Wall, the park, a former East
German state-owned enterprise, was leased to the showman Norbert Witte.
What happened next is a story no crime writer could have written better:
Norbert Witte went bankrupt and left Germany rather abruptly, taking
several of the park’s rides with him to Peru. He then tried to smuggle
cocaine from Peru to Germany in the mast of the Flying Carpet ride,
which earned him an extended prison sentence in 2004. Since 2002,
Spreepark has been closed to the public and is only open for guided
tours. More recently, the state of Berlin reacquired the site and is
planning the park’s revival.
Where Berlin comes to relax
Treptower Park is far more than just a park. In addition to the huge green spaces you would expect in a major city park, Treptower Park also offers visitors an authentic riverside landscape. Insel der Jugend, a small island in the middle of the Spree that you can reach by crossing an old bridge called the Abteibrücke, the oldest reinforced concrete bridge in Germany. Treptower Park’s many attractions also include the Soviet Memorial, the largest of its kind in Germany. Then there’s the Zenner Inn, the Archenhold Observatory and the Summer Flower Garden. There is even a landing pier for steamboats.
A district comes to life
Back when Berlin was a divided city, Alt-Treptow lived in the shadow
of the Berlin Wall. After reunification, however, former military
buildings were renovated and repurposed and exciting new buildings were
developed, including Treptowers, which, soaring 125 meters above the
city, became a landmark on the banks of the Spree River. Outside the
building, the three 35-meter tall figures of one of Berlin’s most iconic
sculptures, “Molecule Men,” rise out of the river to symbolize the
intersection of the three districts Kreuzberg, Friedrichshain and
Treptow.
Popular residential neighborhood
Alt-Treptow has become a fashionable residential neighborhood. With the number of people living in the area rising steadily, several major companies, including Siemens and the Federal Criminal Police Office, have set up bases here. And when the day’s work is done, it is only a stone’s throw to some of the city’s most famous (and infamous) nightclubs – Badeschiff, Wilde Renate and Club der Visionäre.
Discover now our microapartments be.grow in Alt-Treptow.
