Viktoriapark: the waterfall and the view from Kreuzberg's hill

Updated on October 5, 2026

Viktoriapark is a 12.8-hectare park laid out on a hill in Kreuzberg, 66 metres above sea level, the highest natural point in the city. Karl Friedrich Schinkel's national monument (Nationaldenkmal), designed in 1821 to commemorate the wars of liberation against Napoleon, crowns it. An artificial waterfall dating from 1893 runs down the slope, lawns spread across the western side and the terrace at the top looks out over the neighbourhood's rooftops. The park, listed as a historic monument in 1980, is free to enter all day, a few minutes from Bergmannstraße and its cafés. For another large park in the city, see the Tiergarten.

Highlights

The waterfall

Built in 1893, the waterfall brings water pumped to the top of the hill down a staircase of stone blocks over a drop of about 24 metres. At the foot of the falls, a bronze sculpture by Ernst Herter, "Der seltene Fang" (1896), shows a nymph caught in a fisherman's net. The water does not run all year round: check before you climb up if the waterfall is the point of your visit.

Schinkel's national monument

At the summit, the neo-Gothic cast-iron tower, about twenty metres high, is dedicated to the victims of the wars of liberation of 1813-1815. It gave the district its name, Kreuzberg ("hill of the cross"). You cannot go inside, but the foot of the tower gives the best view in the park.

The Golgatha beer garden and the lawns

On the Dudenstraße side, Golgatha is one of the busiest beer gardens in the city in summer, with a bar and evening music. The lawns on the west face, the children's playground, the animal enclosure and the sports field complete a lively neighbourhood park. For more addresses, read our guide to Berlin's beer gardens.

Practical info

Tips

At sunset the summit terrace gets crowded: arrive half an hour early to find a spot on the lawn. To continue your day, Bergmannstraße, at the foot of the park, has plenty of cafés and restaurants. Entry to the park is free.