Prenzlauer Berg, Berlin: the neighbourhood guide

Prenzlauer Berg at a glance: from working-class belt to family neighbourhood

Prenzlauer Berg takes its name from the hill on the road to Prenzlau, north of the old city. Until the mid-19th century it was mostly home to windmills and breweries, which made use of the cellars dug into the ground. With industrialisation, the hill filled up with five-storey tenement blocks arranged around successive courtyards, built to house the workers pouring into Berlin.

The district came out of the Second World War relatively unscathed. In GDR times it lay in the Soviet sector, a few streets from the Wall, and its old buildings decayed for lack of maintenance. Low rents drew artists, writers and opponents of the regime, and in 1989 the Gethsemanekirche became one of the centres of peaceful protest.

After reunification most façades were renovated and a new, often young and well-off population moved in. Since 2001 Prenzlauer Berg has been part of the borough of Pankow. The heart of the district, around Kollwitzplatz, is known as the Kollwitzkiez.

What to see in Prenzlauer Berg

Kollwitzplatz and its markets

Kollwitzplatz is a triangular, tree-lined square surrounded by cafés and restaurants. It is named after the graphic artist and sculptor Käthe Kollwitz, who lived close by for about fifty years. A bronze statue of her seated, by Gustav Seitz, stands in the middle of the square, next to a very busy playground.

Two markets are held here every week. On Thursdays, the Ökomarkt, run by the association GRÜNE LIGA Berlin, brings together around forty organic producers from the region, from 12:00 to 19:00 from April to December and from 12:00 to 18:00 from January to March. On Saturdays, a more general market fills the same streets, with many stalls selling fine foods and takeaway dishes. Both set up along Knaackstraße and Wörther Straße.

The water tower (Wasserturm)

Two streets from Kollwitzplatz, the Prenzlauer Berg water tower, nicknamed "Dicker Hermann" (Fat Hermann), is the oldest in Berlin. Built for the English waterworks company to plans by Henry Gill, it went into service in 1877 and supplied the area until 1952. Its round brick tower contains flats that are still lived in, so the interior cannot be visited.

The site also has a dark chapter. In spring 1933, just after the Nazis came to power, the SA turned one of the machine halls into an unofficial "wild" concentration camp, where opponents were held and mistreated. A memorial plaque on Knaackstraße recalls this. The water tower is surrounded by a small sloping park, open to all, with a fine view over the rooftops of the district.

The Kulturbrauerei and the museum of everyday life in the GDR

The Kulturbrauerei occupies the former Schultheiss brewery, a large complex of red and yellow brick buildings largely designed by the architect Franz Schwechten in the late 19th century. Today it houses a cinema, concert halls, clubs, restaurants and offices, set around cobbled courtyards you can walk through freely. The main entrances are at Schönhauser Allee 36 and Knaackstraße 97.

The Museum in der Kulturbrauerei, run by the Haus der Geschichte foundation, presents the permanent exhibition "Alltag in der DDR", devoted to everyday life in East Germany: housing, work, consumption, leisure and surveillance. Admission is free. The museum opens Tuesday to Friday from 9:00 to 18:00 and Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 to 18:00, and is closed on Mondays. Some parts of the permanent exhibition are being refurbished until early December 2026. For a more interactive take on the same subject, see also the DDR Museum, near Museum Island.

The Rykestraße synagogue

At Rykestraße 53, set back at the end of a courtyard, stands Germany's largest synagogue, with around 1,200 seats. Built in neo-Romanesque style to plans by Johann Hoeniger, it was inaugurated in 1904. Because it is surrounded by residential buildings, it was not set on fire during the November 1938 pogrom. Restored, it remains an active place of worship: you mostly see it from the street, as the interior is only open on certain occasions, such as the open days of Berlin's synagogues.

The Gethsemanekirche

The Gethsemane Church, Stargarder Straße 77, is a late 19th-century Protestant brick church. In September and October 1989 it hosted vigils and prayers for arrested demonstrators and became one of the symbols of the peaceful revolution in the GDR. It is normally open Monday to Friday from 9:00 to 18:00, outside services, and the Sunday service is at 11:00.

The Mauerpark and Bernauer Straße

On the western edge of the district, the Mauerpark stretches along the former border strip between Prenzlauer Berg and Wedding. On Sundays it hosts a large flea market and the open-air Bearpit karaoke. Carrying on south-west, you reach the Berlin Wall Memorial on Bernauer Straße in a few minutes.

The Zeiss-Großplanetarium

To the east, at Prenzlauer Allee 80, the Zeiss-Großplanetarium opened in 1987 and was modernised between 2014 and 2016. Its 23-metre dome hosts astronomy shows and 360° projections. Expect to pay €12 (€8 reduced) for science programmes and €16 (€12 reduced) for entertainment shows. It is served by Prenzlauer Allee S-Bahn station, on the Ring.

Where to eat and drink in Prenzlauer Berg

Prenzlauer Berg has a large number of cafés, bakeries and restaurants, especially around Kollwitzplatz, on Kastanienallee and on Oderberger Straße. Check opening hours before you go, as many places do not serve all day.

Konnopke's Imbiss, currywurst under the U-Bahn

Konnopke's Imbiss, Schönhauser Allee 44B, sits under the viaduct of the elevated U2, at the foot of Eberswalder Straße station. Founded in 1930 by Max Konnopke, this kiosk is one of Berlin's best-known currywurst stands. It opens Tuesday to Friday from 11:00 to 18:00 and Saturday from 12:00 to 19:00; it is closed on Sundays and Mondays.

Kastanienallee and the Prater

Kastanienallee links the junction at Eberswalder Straße station with Mitte. Cafés, designer shops and second-hand stores line the street, and the tram runs along its whole length. At number 7-9, the Prater is considered Berlin's oldest beer garden: beer has been served here since 1837. The garden opens from late March to early autumn, weather permitting.

Oderberger Straße

Running parallel to Kastanienallee, Oderberger Straße is a wide, quiet street lined with restored façades and café terraces. In the distance you can see the TV Tower on Alexanderplatz. The street is home to the former municipal baths of 1902, converted into a hotel with a swimming pool. It leads to the Mauerpark at its western end.

A walk through Prenzlauer Berg

Allow about three hours, breaks included, for this loop of just over 4 kilometres.

1. Leave the U2 at Senefelderplatz station and walk up Kollwitzstraße to Kollwitzplatz.
2. Walk around the square, then take Knaackstraße south to the water tower. Climb into the park for the view.
3. Come back down via Rykestraße to pass the synagogue, then return towards Kollwitzplatz.
4. Take Sredzkistraße west to the Kulturbrauerei and visit the museum of everyday life in the GDR.
5. Leave on the Schönhauser Allee side and walk up to Konnopke's Imbiss, under the elevated railway.
6. Cross the junction and walk down Kastanienallee, then take Oderberger Straße to the Mauerpark.
7. If you still have time, carry on to Bernauer Straße and the Wall Memorial.

If you are in Mitte, you can also walk from the Hackesche Höfe: allow half an hour via Kastanienallee.

Practical information

Getting to Prenzlauer Berg

The U2 line crosses the district from south to north, underground and then on a viaduct above Schönhauser Allee. From Alexanderplatz, Senefelderplatz is the second stop and Eberswalder Straße the third. Tram M1 links Mitte (Hackescher Markt) with Kastanienallee and Schönhauser Allee; tram 12 also runs along Kastanienallee. Tram M10 serves Eberswalder Straße and Danziger Straße, and the M2 Prenzlauer Allee. Schönhauser Allee station (U2 and S-Bahn Ring) lies at the north of the district. All the details on tickets are in our guide to public transport in Berlin.

Summary of places to see

Prices observed in October 2026 on the official websites.

When to go

Thursday afternoon lets you enjoy the Ökomarkt in a relaxed atmosphere. On Saturdays the Kollwitzplatz market is busier, and on Sundays the whole city heads to the Mauerpark. Avoid Mondays if you plan to visit the Kulturbrauerei museum or eat at Konnopke's. The district is pleasant in every season, but it is in spring and summer that the terraces and the Prater garden come to life.

Staying in Prenzlauer Berg

Quiet in the evening and well connected to the centre by the U2 and the tram, Prenzlauer Berg is a good base for a stay, especially with a family. To compare it with other districts, see our guide on where to stay in Berlin.

Further reading

Prenzlauer Berg is easy to explore in half a day as part of a weekend in Berlin, ideally on a Sunday so you can carry on to the Mauerpark. For a more alternative, nightlife-oriented atmosphere, continue with our guides to Friedrichshain and Kreuzberg.