At the end of the 19th century, 14 market halls were created in Berlin, Germany. One of these is the Markthalle Neun and you can still see the ancient structures of the building. Formerly you could buy all kinds of food at around 300 market stands. Usage declined over time but then a new concept was found: in addition to a low-cost discounter, the market hall now contains many stands for regional, fair-trade and organic food.
Continue reading “Markthalle Neun”Gärten der Welt
A fantastic place for a long walk are the Gärten der Welt (gardens of the world) in Berlin, Germany. They are also a good reason to discover the city quarter Marzahn which hasn’t the best reputation. It is the location for the Internationale Gartenausstellung (IGA) 2017 and on the grounds of a park that has already been created in 1987 different gardens in the styles of other countries have been realized: From England and Italy via China to Japan, Bali and Korea.
Continue reading “Gärten der Welt”Heilstätten
Southwest of Berlin, Germany, you can find the Beelitz-Heilstätten – a giant hospital in the forest. They were built between 1898 and 1930 as a sanitorium for lung diseases. During World War I and II the sanitorium was used for soldiers and after 1945 it became the largest Soviet hospital outside the Soviet Union. Then deterioration began, buildings became ruins and nature conquered this place partially – now trees are growing within the ruins.
Continue reading “Heilstätten”SO36
The SO36 is a legendary club and concert venue in the city quarter Kreuzberg of Berlin, Germany – named after the former postal zone of the area. A place I really like; in some parts to small and narrow, but with good sound and always full of awesome people. The decorations there directly show you that this dark place is a home for left-wing people and it is maybe the only concert hall I know where you get bottled beer during events. It feels a little bit strange to emphasize this – but it feels good and like a travel back in time.
Continue reading “SO36”Zur Mieze
There are many good reasons for having a cat at home – and also many for not having one. Sometimes people in your household have allergies. In my case, I’m just travelling too much to have a pet. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy the pleasure of watching cats playing or sleeping (which they often do). At the city quarter Charlottenberg of Berlin, Germany, you can find the coffee bar ‘Zur Mieze‘ – the home of seven cats.
Continue reading “Zur Mieze”Teufelsberg
The Teufelsberg (devil’s mountain) at Berlin, Germany, is a lost place. Deteriorating and shabby. A place you can explore, where you can learn about espionage and a location full of anarchy that you might experience in Germany only in Berlin. It is the second highest mountain in the city, and it is artificial – created from the wreckage originating from World War II. Located within the British occupation zone, it was first used by the United States of America to control the air space over the divided German capital.
Continue reading “Teufelsberg”Jewish cemetery
The Jewish cemetery at Berlin-Weißensee is the largest one in Europe. It was created in 1880 and contains on 42 hectares more than 115,000 graves. Because of the Jewish burial tradition which causes that graves remain forever, you can see very old graves here and very beautiful ones. The continuous deterioration and nature extending over the graves make this a beautiful place. Another good reason to visit this place are the buildings in Italian Renaissance revival style made with yellow bricks.
Continue reading “Jewish cemetery”Vier Jahreszeiten
The Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten Kreuzberg in Berlin, Germany, is not the right hotel for you if you like quiet environments. It is located at the Skalitzer Straße with the drug deals of Görlitzer Bahnhof direct in front of it. But if you like to be at the centre of the action this place is great – for example, it is only a very short walk to the great club SO36. As a surplus, the hotel is located above the wonderful Korean restaurant Kimchi Princess.
Continue reading “Vier Jahreszeiten”Schlachthof
Within Kassel, Germany, you will find different smaller concert venues which give you the chance to listen to a wide range of bands – newcomers and bands with a smaller audience. One of them is the Schlachthof in the city quarter Nord-Holland close to the university. At this location, there was once the slaughterhouse of the city until it was moved to Waldau in 1973. The buildings have been destructed and the Elisabeth-Knipping-Schule, a school providing vocational education, was built. Only the gatehouses remained and are now the home of the community centre and concert hall.
Continue reading “Schlachthof”Städtisches Museum
I’m always a bit hesitant when it comes to local museums in small towns. They’re often seen as a must-have independent from the question whether there is something to exhibit or not. The Städtisches Museum of Hann. Münden, Germany, is a place I would nevertheless recommend if you’re interested in local history. It feels like a wild mix of topics and some sections look very old-fashioned but it offers enough content for an informative visit.
Continue reading “Städtisches Museum”