Berlin/Tempelhof and Neukölln

The Central South of Berlin includes Tempelhof and Neukölln

Understand

Tempelhof was a district of Berlin until the 2001 fusion with Schöneberg, which was mostly done for administrative reasons. As the two areas have little in common, we cover Schöneberg as part of Berlin/City West. Tempelhof is an industrial area and in the south is a living area for families. The northern part is mainly occupied by the airport Tempelhof which was closed in October 2008 and now serves as a public park.

Neukölln is a district of Berlin. It consists of four sub-districts (Britz, Buckow, Rudow and Neukölln). Neukölln has a history as a poor working-class district with a large number of migrants. Neukölln offers big contrasts between the densely populated northern part and the more village looking southern parts. Southern neighborhoods Britz, Buckow and Rudow became part of Berlin with the 1920 Groß Berlin Gesetz and kept its structure. In the past few years, the northern part of Neukölln, nicknamed Kreuzkölln, has seen a transformation as a large influx of students and artists are moving into the neighborhood. Neukölln frequently makes national headlines as a supposed "Problembezirk" (district with problems) but this is in part due to alarmism of the last two district mayors, who got book deals and federal office out of it and in part due to press exaggeration. Yes, the area has higher than average unemployment and certain types of crime are more common, but it's not exactly "Lord of the Flies" and there are likely numerous "good neighborhoods" in US cities that look worse in terms of crime statistics.

Get in

By public transport

Tempelhof

U-Bahn line U6 from station 🌍 Platz der Luftbrücke  U6  onwards south is the backbone of the district. The major S-Bahn station 🌍 Südkreuz  S41  S42  S45  S46  S2  S25  S26  , a DB station with national and international rail service, and 🌍 Tempelhof  S41  S42  S45  S46  U6  also lie within the district. Südkreuz also sees a number of long distance buses though there is no dedicated station like the ZOB near the trade fare areal.

Neukölln

The U-Bahn line  U7  and  U8  are the backbone of transportation in Neukölln. All stations from Schönleinstraße  U8  to Hermannstraße  U8  and Hermannplatz  U7  to Grenzallee  U7  are northern Neukölln. Starting from Parchimer Allee until the terminal station Rudow you will see the smaller houses, apartment blocks and gardens of Britz, Buckow and Rudow. But with the Gropiusstadt, there is also a housing estate with many midrise and highrise buildings and a different social situation. Several bus lines connect the residential areas especially in the southern parts.

To get to Neukölln from Schönefeld Airport, take bus X7 towards Rudow, where you can change onto  U7 .

By car

The federal motorway 100 (the new city highway) is constructed on the border line to Berlin/Treptow-Köpenick (the former inner Berlin border). It offers a fast way to the new BER airport which will at some indeterminate point in the future be the only airport for Berlin. During rush hour the entry and exit ways might be congested but the main traffic is to come after the airport opening.

See

Tempelhof

Tempelhof Terminal

• 🌍 Tempelhof Airport (Take U6 to "Platz der Luftbrücke", "Paradestraße" or "Tempelhof" to enter the park.). Sunrise to sunset. The "mother of all airports", according to Sir Norman Foster, is a huge relic of the pre-war era. The terminal building is located immediately south of the city center and was the hot spot of the Berlin airlift (Berliner Luftbrücke) in 1948-49, but closed as an airport on October 30, 2008. In 1951 a monument was added to its entrance square - then renamed "Airlift Square" -to commemorate the airlifts over the Berlin Blockade. The airport was featured in movies like Billy Wilder's One Two Three. Nowadays, the airfield is a spacious park with many visitors in summer and fall. The terminal building is still fascinating - the halls and neighbouring buildings, intended to become the gateway to Europe, are still known as the largest built entities worldwide. The terminal building is used as a venue of fashion weeks or fairs. Tempelhof has been subject to a lot of local politics in recent years. First a ballot measure to keep it as an airport failed and a few years later a ballot measure to keep new construction on its outskirts from happening was successful, thus preserving the urban open space at the cost of an exacerbated housing shortage. the park is free; guided tour in the building €15.  
• 🌍 Schwerbelastungskörper (heavy load body), General-Pape-Str/Loewenhardtdamm. Tu-W 14:00-18:00; Th 10:00-18:00; Su 13:00-16:00. Closed Nov-Mar and Good Friday. From 1941, 12.000 tons of concrete in a 15 metre high and 20 metre-diamater cylinder were built to test the load-bearing capacity of the Berlin soils for Albert Speer's Germania-Buildings. Too massive for later blasting, this is one of the more bizarre remains of the Third Reich. free entry.  

Schwerbelastungskorper

Neukölln

Maybachufer along the Landwehr Canal (Landwehrkanal)

Neukölln has been known for its high immigrant population, but is now considered to be a highly up-and-coming neighbourhood of Berlin where more and more artists, students, and new homeowners are moving to. Particularly northern Neukölln – also known as Kreuzkölln – has seen a huge influx of money and has become particularly trendy, and this trend is moving steadily further south. Particular areas of note is the part of Neukölln close to the Maybachufer channel that also hosts the famous Turkish market (off of U-Bahn Schönleinstraße  U8 ), the Schillerkiez (off of U-Bahn Boddinstraße  U8 ), and the Richardplatz (off of U-Bahn Karl-Marx-Straße  U7 ).

• 🌍 Sonnenallee. Became famous from the film named after this street. During the Cold War, the street was split, with one section belonging to East Berlin and one to West Berlin.  

Do

Neukölln

• 🌍 Neuköllner Oper, Karl-Marx-Straße 131 (Karl-Marx-Str  U7 .), ☎ [phone], [phone] (tickets). Visit a play and be amazed by the creativity, which the opera house has won some awards for.  
• 🌍 Stadtbad Neukölln, Ganghoferstraße 3, ☎ [phone]. Built from 1912-14 in Art Nouveau style and carefully renovated in 1984, this swimming pool (actually two in one building), covered in mosaics and domes, is one of Berlin's most beautiful. A must see for architecture fans.  

Further afield

• 🌍 Volkspark Mariendorf. Boasts an open-air cinema and is the perfect activity to do at night. 
• 🌍 Britzer Garten. A 90-hectare garden and former national garden show place (1984); public park with great flora and big playgrounds for kids; popular amongst children and seniors on weekends.  

Buy

Neukölln

The region boasts many specialty food shops (Asian, Indian, African etc.), which offer an impressive international selection for very competitive prices.

Neukölln is home to many so-called "Spätis" which Berlin has become known for. "Spätis" are kiosks regularly open until 02:00 or 03:00 (some are open 24 hours), offering everything from cigarettes, drinks, and sweets, to necessities (dairy, dry goods, canned food, etc.) Slightly more expensive than grocery chains, but less expensive than gas stations.

• 🌍 Kindl-Boulevard Passage, Hermannstraße 214-216, 12053 Berlin (U-Bahn Boddinstraße). Shopping center on Hermanstraße with many stores, a cinema, and a newly renovated Kaiser's supermarket. 
• 🌍 Neukölln Arkaden, Karl-Marx-Straße 66, 12043 Berlin (U7 Station Rathaus Neukölln), ☎ [phone]. 07:00-23:00. An abundance of clothing stores and eateries, a post office, gym, a cinema known as "Karli" (movies in both German and Turkish shown regularly), and a very large supermarket (Kaufland) in the basement. Free wi-fi.  
• 🌍 Turkish Market, Maybachufer (U8 Schönleinstraße). Tue, Fri 11:00-18:30. The “Turk's market” at the Landwehr Canal at the Maybachufer in Neukölln near Kreuzberg sells vegetables, Turkish specialities and a lot of materials. 

Further afield

• 🌍 Gropiusstadt Passagen, Johannisthaler Chaussee 317, 12351 Berlin (U-7 station Johannistaler Chaussee), ☎ [phone]. 10:00-20:00. It's the biggest mall in Berlin and offers a wide variety of shops.  

Eat

Neukölln

• 🌍 Cafe & Restaurant Louis, Richardplatz 5 (600 m. from U-bahn Karl-Marx-Str Station. Line 7), ☎ [phone]. 11:00-23:00 p. Austrian food, giant schnitzels and quality beer on tap. 
• 🌍 Café Jacques, Maybachufer 14 (U-8 Schönleinstr. Station), ☎ [phone]. 18:00-03:00. Great French cuisine (especially the fish and the self-made noodles), nice service, very crowded though. 
• 🌍 Cafe Rix, Karl-Marx-Straße 141 (U-7 station Karl-Marx-Str), ☎ [phone]. Next to the Neukölln Opera house with international cuisine. 
• 🌍 Tabibito, Karl-Marx-Straße 56 (U-7 Rathaus Neukölln Station), ☎ [phone]. 12:00-23:00. Japanese restaurant, family-run, very friendly (sometimes you get a snack for free), since it's little, can be very crowded in the evenings. 
• 🌍 Tang, Karl-Marx-Straße 215 (3 min from Neukölln  U7 ), ☎ [phone]. 11:00-23:00. Authentic Hunan Chinese food under €7 for a very filling main course. Ignore the menu, ask for the specials. The spicy pork & aubergine dish is a must, sometimes rarities such as chicken feet are on offer. budget. 
• 🌍 TanzCafé Britz, Germaniapromenade 24 (Grenzallee  U7 ), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. 12:00-20:00. Hidden away in a residential area. Cute café/restaurant with lots of dancing activities and excellent and really cheap food prepared by a french chef. €3.90 and up, items over €10 are rare. 

Schillerkiez

• 🌍 Café Selig, Herrfurthplatz 14 (Boddinstr  U8 ), ☎ [phone]. 10:00-22:00. Cute café/restaurant in the Schillerkiez by the church. Good place to people-watch, drink a coffee, and to eat brunch. 
• 🌍 Zio Felix, Okerstraße 35, ☎ [phone]. Good pizza. 

Further afield

• 🌍 Britzer Mühle, Buckower Damm 130 (Dachdeckerweg Bus stop.), ☎ [phone]. Classical German cuisine in an old wind mill. 
• 🌍 Casa Montella, Krokusstraße 80 (bus 171 from U Hermannplatz), ☎ [phone]. Good Italian restaurant in Rudow. 

Drink

Neukölln

Especially in the northern part of Neukölln (east of Kottbusser Damm, next to the Kreuzberg-border), the bar scene is becoming increasingly established. The rest of Neukölln houses a few student-friendly bars. Nearby Kreuzberg offers more variety.

• 🌍 Arcaoda, Karl-Marx Platz 16 (U-Bahn: U7 Bahnhof Karl-Marx-Straße, Bus: N7 Karl-Marx-Platz), e-mail: [e-mail]. This club which is located in an old bowling alley offers electro club nights as well as live music performances, independent music, art exhibitions and food. 
• 🌍 Brauhaus Rixdorf, Glasower Straße 27, 12051, ☎ [phone]. M-Th 16:00 - 23:00; F-Sa 12:00 - 23:00; Su 12:00 - 22:00. Traditional brewery with a very nice biergarten, lovely in summer. The food is typical Bavarian fare, and of pretty good quality. (updated Apr 2017)
• 🌍 Griessmühle, Sonnenallee 221, 12059 Berlin (S-Bahn: S41,42,46 Sonnenallee, Bus: M41, N79 Ziegrastr.), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. 12pm. Griessmühle is one of the latest but already best-known techo clubs in Berlin. It is located within an decommissioned industrial building right at the Teltow channel and also has a large outdoor area with a lot of artfully positioned junk and trash. 
• 🌍 Klunkerkranich, Karl-Marx-Straße 66 (U-Bahn: U7 Rathaus Neukölln, Bus: 104,166,N7,N94, parking level 6 and 7 of the Neukölln Arcaden), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Popular rooftop club, beach bar, sundeck or garden on top of a parking garage with a fantastic view over Neukölln, live music and DJs playing electro, funk, disco or jazz. 
• 🌍 Kulturverein Kinski, Friedelstraße 28, ☎ [phone]. Famous for late nights and cultural activities. Frequented by Neukölln film enthusiasts, and occasionally rare films are screened. A nice feature: if you want to organize an artistic event or plan to DJ, just go there and sign up in the list at the bar. 

Schillerkiez

Schillerkiez is close to the former Berlin Tempelhof Airport. Since the airport closed down the area is becoming increasingly popular. There are several nice bars in the area.

• 🌍 Frollein Langner, Weisestraße 34, ☎ [phone]. Furnished with several sofas it has a living room atmosphere. They serve Bavarian beer and small snacks. The main room is non-smoking. There is a separate room for smokers. 
• 🌍 Froschkönig Pianobar, Weisestraße 17 (Few min from U-8 Boddinstr. Station). 18:00–00:00. Awesome pianobar with literature nights and occasional jazz concerts. Very relaxed atmosphere, located in the Schillerkiez. 
• 🌍 Syndikat, Weisestraße 56, ☎ [phone]. One of the most famous bars in this part of town. It's been around for some 25 years and considered to be one of the best 'Kneipen' in Neukölln. 

Sleep

Neukölln

Because Neukölln is not really in the city center, most hotels are for coach tours or bigger groups. They are busiest on weekends. If you come with a group (at least 10 people) negotiate a discount.

• 🌍 2A-Hostel, Saalestr. 76 (Located next to S Neukölln), ☎ [phone], fax: [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 11:00. Cheap modern hostel, built in 2011. from €13. 
• 🌍 Estrel, Sonnenallee 225. Self-proclaimed biggest hotel and entertainment complex in Europe. 1,125 rooms, a convention center and Michael Jackson's father stayed here. 
• 🌍 Mercure Hotel Tempelhof Airport, Hermannstrasse 214-216 (Entrance at Rollbergstrasse), ☎ [phone]. Located to the east of the former airport. 

Connect

Stay safe

As mentioned above the area of Neukölln has a rather sensational bad reputation in the German press and certain political actors would like to make you think it is some sort of apocalyptic hellscape which it in reality is not. Unfortunately what does seem to be a problem is antisemitism, as in 2018 a young Israeli wearing a kippah was beaten up and called "yahudi" in Neukölln. While the reaction of every political actor of relevance up to the federal government was one of solidarity with the victim and condemnation of the attack and antisemitism in general, it is not advisable to be identifiable as visibly Jewish here.