Berlin neighbourhoods: Scheunenviertel and Prenzlauger Berg

In the description below, the names of the streets and main sites are written in German, i.e. as they appear on the ground, and in italics. The letter ß, specific to the German alphabet, is pronounced like a double ‘s’ in English. See the section on place names under ‘Practical information’.

Start: Hackescher Markt Station.

Access:
- S-Bahn – Lines 5, 7 and 75.
- U-Bahn – Line 6.
- Tram - Lines M1, M4, M5, M6 and M8.

(S) From the station, take the Hackescher Markt exit (Ausgang). Head north, turn left onto An der Spandauer Brücke and continue until you reach a junction. Then turn right onto Rosenthaler Straße and follow this street on the left-hand side of the pavement.

(1) At number 40, note the entrance archway to Die Hackeschen Höfe on the left. Continue to number 39 (on the same pavement). Then enter a passageway with heavily graffitied walls and walk to the cinema (Kino) at the far end on the right, passing by the Anne Frank Zentrum. Retrace your steps back to No. 40 Rosenthaler Straße.

(1) Then go under the archway of Die Hackeschen Höfe and enter the first courtyard (there are eight in total, all connected to one another; maps and information boards are placed at various points). At the far end, go under the archway marked ‘Zu den Höfen II-VIII’ and emerge into the second courtyard. Continue straight on towards ‘Zu Höfe III’. Retrace your steps and turn left towards ‘Zu den Höfen IV-VIII’. Once in the fourth courtyard, turn left to reach the fifth courtyard and retrace your steps. Then turn left towards ‘Zu den Höfen VI-VIII’. In the sixth courtyard, turn left and walk through the seventh and eighth courtyards in succession. Retrace your steps and, in the sixth courtyard, turn left towards Sophienstraße to leave this complex of courtyards.

(2) Then turn left onto Sophienstraße. At the church on the left-hand side, opposite numbers 20a–21 on the right, enter the passageway known as Sophien-Gibs Höfe (discreet entrance). Cross a first courtyard with a wall covered in inscriptions prompting choices (oder = or). Go under a porch and cross a second courtyard with a café on the left. Finally, cross a third courtyard and emerge onto Gibstraße. Follow this street to the right until you reach a junction.

Cross Rosenthaler Straße, then turn left into Gormannstraße and walk along a square on your left. Cross Steinstraße and, at the next junction, turn right into Mulackstraße. Walk to the end of this street, cross Alte Schönauser Straße and take Schendelgasse opposite, slightly to the left. Cross Max-Beer-Straße. At the T-junction ahead, turn right and then immediately left into Hirtenstraße. At the next junction (withKino Babylon opposite), turn left into Rosa-Luxemburg-Straße and you will immediately reach the square of the same name.

(3) Continue along Rosa-Luxemburg-Straße, passing the monumental Volksbühne (theatre) on your right. Walk past the U-Bahn station, cross Linienstraße and then, at the traffic lights, a busy avenue, Torstraße. Continue along Schönauser Allee. Note a church on the left and take the first right, Sarrbrücker Straße. Walk past some beautiful buildings on the left and an imposing brick industrial building on the right. Take the first left, Strasburger Straße. Cross Metzer Straße and arrive at the foot of a hill from which the top of the old water tower (Wasserstum) emerges.

(4) Look out for a closed metal gate opposite and, about twenty metres to the right, a small flight of steps. Climb the few steps and continue along a narrow lane. At the end (table tennis table), turn sharply left and climb a cobbled lane. You’ll reach the top of the hill with the masonry of the water tower. Following a curve to the right, head to the foot of the tallest building, which resembles a chimney or a lighthouse. Go down the staircase that starts at the foot (on the right) of this building and return to the area near the table tennis table. Turn left and pass a playground (slide) on your right. At the corner of this street, turn right and pass through two gates in succession. Go round a large cylindrical building on the right and, once you’ve gone halfway round (No. 23), go down the stairs on the right. Then turn left onto Knaackstraße and follow this street to Kollwitzplatz.

Continue along Knaackstraße, which curves slightly to the right, and walk past a small public park on your right. Cross Wörther Straße and continue straight ahead. At the next junction, turn left onto Sredzkistraße and walk past a large brick building on your right (a former brewery).

(5) At No. 1 on this street, enter the courtyard of this former brewery, now converted into a cultural centre (Brasserie des Cultures). Walk past a large building on your left, then, opposite the building known asthe “Palais”, first turn right then left. Then walk past the Kesselhaus on your left, followed by the Alte Kantine. At the end, turn right to leave the complex and turn left again onto Knaackstraße. At the junction, turn left into Dantziger Straße. At the junction with Schönauser Allee, turn right to reach the Eberwalder Straße U-Bahn station (E).

To get back home:
- U-Bahn - Line 2.
- Tram - Lines M1, M10 and 12.

Place names:
- The word most commonly used to refer to a main road in a town is Straße (street), regardless of its length or width. This word is most often combined with the street name, as in Friedrichstraße. It may also appear separately, with hyphens, as in Rosa-Luxemburg-Straße, or without, as in Spandauer Straße.
- Other terms for finding your way around: Allee (avenue), Damm (quay), Gasse (alley), Weg (path), Platz (square), Markt (marketplace), Brücke (bridge), Bahnhof (station), Station (station).
- Buildings: Kirche (church), Dom or Kathedrale (cathedral), Synagoge (synagogue), Moschee (mosque), Museum (museum), Schloß (castle), Haus (house).

Public transport:
Public transport is well-developed and proves very convenient when visiting Berlin (and no doubt when living there too). There are four main types of public transport:
- S-Bahn (commuter train)
- U-Bahn (underground)
- Straßenbahn (tram, found only in former East Berlin)
- Bus
Tickets are valid for any of these modes of transport and must be validated. Tickets can be purchased on the spot from ticket machines. Tickets valid for 1, 2 or 3 days can also be bought on the spot, as well as online and printed at home. For full details, see the City of Berlin website.

Traffic:
- Given the space and urban layout, car traffic, which can be heavy in places, rarely feels as congested as it might in a major French city.
- Berliners strictly observe green and red pedestrian lights and do not appreciate it when others do not do the same... However, there are many crossings without traffic lights or pedestrian crossings.
- Pavements are sometimes shared between pedestrian and cycle lanes, though this is not always clearly marked.

Equipment:
- Opt for low-cut trainers or hiking boots rather than smart shoes.
- From November to March, it is generally cold in Berlin and can be extremely cold. During this period, don’t skimp on warm clothing.

Times, resources and alternatives:
- The times given are walking times, not taking into account the many stops and numerous visits you can make. Depending on the number of these visits and their duration, the time required for this walk can vary from a few hours to a full day.
- The route alternates between busy sites and quieter sections. Given the nature of Berlin’s urban layout, there is plenty of space even in the busiest areas.
- In churches, appropriate dress and behaviour are required (see the signs at the entrance). No church visits during services.
- Along the way, there are bars and restaurants where you can have a drink or a bite to eat. The toilets in these establishments are for customers only. There are also a few pay-to-use public toilets.
- The route naturally lends itself to various alternatives, depending on the sites you wish to visit or your own inspiration, provided you have a detailed map (see below). In particular, it can be extended by the “Memories of the Berlin Wall: Bernauer Straße” walk, which starts at Eberwalder Straße Station.

Maps:
It is essential to have a detailed map with street names in German (at the very least, the one accompanying this description). City maps can be purchased on site at the main tourist attractions. They are also available in France from specialist bookshops (for example, the IGN offers a very handy 1:15,000 scale map).

Hike undertaken by the author on 12 November 2016.

This walk is part of a series of walking routes dedicated to Berlin, none of which claim to be exhaustive in terms of places to see or visit. In addition to the city’s unique urban layout, characterised first and foremost by its open spaces, the following sites are worth noting:
- Hackescher Markt (S): a lively square.
- Passages and courtyards, between (1) and (3): at No. 39 Rosenthaler Straße; Die Hackeschen Höfe from No. 40 on the same street; Sophien-Gibs Höfe.
- Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz (3) with the monumental Volksbühne theatre. Rosa Luxemburg (1870–1919), a socialist and pacifist activist and co-founder of the Spartacist movement, was executed without trial by soldiers who were supposed to be taking her to prison.
- Former water tower (4), built between 1853 and 1892 and disused since 1914.
- Kollwitzplatz, between (4) and (5). Public garden, statue of the sculptor Käthe Kollwitz (1867–1945), creator notably of ‘The Mother and Her Dead Son’ at the Neue Wache. Lively market on Thursday and Saturday mornings.
- Kulturbrauerei (5). Former brewery converted into a cultural centre.