7 Lost Places in Berlin
They are old, mysterious and abandoned: the so-called Lost Places in Berlin, which are becoming increasingly popular. They offer great photo opportunities and encourage visitors to indulge in nostalgia.
But be careful: not every place is free to enter, some things are on the borderline of legality.
In addition: enter at your own risk, as most of the buildings are already dilapidated. Fortunately, however, many of these lost places can now be explored on guided tours, which definitely make the whole experience legal and safer.
The Devil’s Mountain
An American listening station was located here until the fall of the Berlin Wall. The electrical equipment was then removed, but the radar systems remained in operation for aerial surveillance. Since then, every attempt to redevelop the site in order to use it for residential complexes, museums, etc. has failed. Instead, hikers, mountain bikers and paragliders have been enjoying the so-called Teufelsberg for years.
For an additional charge of around €10, interested parties can take part in a guided tour and visit the listening station.
The Rangsdorf airfield
Pretty much everyone knows the story of the red baron who set out to kill Hitler. What not everyone knows is that his most famous flight took off from Rengsdorf Airport. If the assassination had turned out differently, this airport would certainly not have been forgotten, but it has. It was abandoned and has been falling into disrepair since 1992.
In the meantime, a new buyer has been found for the railings who wants to build apartments here. There is even talk of schools and daycare centers. So if you still want to visit the old airfield, you should hurry.
The Spreepark
Perhaps one of the most popular motifs among photographers: the abandoned Spreepark amusement park. The amusement park has been decaying since 2001, but now you can even book guided tours and have everything about the abandoned area explained and told to you.
The guided tours always take place from March to November.
Bärenquell Brewery
Did you know that the Bärenquell brewery brewed the city’s most popular beer for 112 years? But it had to be closed after the fall of the Berlin Wall, which is why since then you can only visit the abandoned brewery with sturdy shoes and, depending on the time of year, with a flashlight in your hand.
There are noguided tours here yet, but new plans have been in the pipeline for this ruin for years. So be quick if you want to visit this lost place.
The house of statistics
The Stasi had its headquarters in the House of Statistics for a long time; the top three floors belonged to the so-called “Ministry for State Security” in GDR times. This is where they listened in, observed and took notes.
Exhibitions are now held here and the city of Berlin has taken on the task of breathing new life into this building.
The Olympic Village of 1936
Around 20 kilometers from the Olympic Stadium is the 1936 Olympic Village, where over 4,000 athletes from all over the world lived. The large statue of Lenin is a reminder of the time when the village was used by the Soviet Union.
This lost place is currently open to the public and can be visited on guided tours.
Beelitz sanatoriums
The Beelitz Heilstätten are probably the best-known and most eerie lost place in Berlin. Formerly a lung sanatorium and sanatorium, today it is a dilapidated chamber of horrors with a historical feel. And the fame of this place extends far beyond the borders of Germany, because when it opened in 1902, it was considered the largest and most modern hospital for tuberculosis in the world.
Today you can visit this lost place on various guided tours.