The building of one of Berlin’s oldest breweries stands along the Spree as a striking piece of industrial history. Its red brick façades, ornate gables, and tall windows show the craftsmanship of a different era. Protected as a heritage site, the former brewery tells the story of a city that grew with industry, innovation, and beer.
The complex blends functional design with decorative detail. Brick patterns frame doors and arches, metal fittings hint at machinery once inside, and a chimney rises like a landmark. Even without production noise, the site keeps an atmosphere of work and skill. Light catches the brickwork at different times of day, revealing textures and lines that photographers love.
As one of Berlin’s early breweries, the place once powered daily life with barrels headed to taverns and street corners. Cellars stored cooling ice, courtyards bustled with carts, and fermentation rooms filled the air with a warm, malty scent. The preserved structures make it easy to imagine the rhythm of shifts, the clink of bottles, and the hum of engines.
Set beside the river, the site connects industrial architecture with waterside calm. Trees line the banks, and boats move slowly along the Spree. The contrast between solid brick walls and moving water adds a quiet drama, turning the old brewery into a scene that feels both urban and timeless.
Like many historic industrial sites in Berlin, the brewery has shifted roles over time. While production has stopped, the buildings remain as a cultural marker, protected for their design and history. This transformation allows the past to stay visible in a modern city, where new uses can fit into old walls without losing their character.
The charming Baroque water palace of the Hohenzollern electors surrounded by the Dahme river and an English garden.
The large square in front of the Brandenburg Gate contains the French and American embassies, the rebuilt Hotel Adlon, and the new building of the Academy of Arts.
In 1893 the authorities of Berlin issued the artistic entrance to the National Park Friedrichshain. The fountain of fairy tales was commissioned by the National Park and later designed by Ludwig Hoffmann.
The city's Protestant cathedral and the burial place of the Prussian kings. You can climb to the top and get a view of the city.
Arguably the most beautiful bridge in Berlin and the only connection between Friedrichshain and Kreuzberg. As signage on the bridge indicates, it was built twice - once in the 1890s and once in the 1990s. Before reunification the border ran where the bridge now is.
Small park in the heart of West Berlin. Great place to chill on a sunny day. There are many great cafés and restaurants nearby. Linger over a coffee here and watch people passing by.
An observation tower without an elevator in Southeast Berlin, from which you can see that there is a great deal of forest around Berlin. There is a cafe at the tower.
Official residence of the (largely ceremonial) President of Germany since 1994. Only Roman Herzog (president 1994-1999) actually lived here, his successors have preferred a quiet apartment on the outskirts of Berlin, but this is where the president will usually host guests and do public events. Guided tours are possible, but plan to book up to nine months ahead and be prepared for having to reschedule if the president decides to hold an event on short notice which preempts tours.
Museum of Contemporary Art located in former Hamburger Bahnhof train station. Big halls filled with artworks made since 1960s. In 2004 Rieckhallen, former Lehrter Bahnhof, was opened and now provides exhibition space for the Friedrich Christian Flick Collection. Free public guided tours (in English): Sa and Su at 12:00.
House museum on Max Liebermann, German painter and printmaker. Has about 15 Lieberman paintings.
The Bayerischer Platz is the centre of the Bayerisches Viertel ("Bavarian district", with many streets named after Bavarian cities), which was destroyed a lot more during World War II (about 60%). Somewhere around there Albert Einstein lived once. You’ll find several memorial signs providing information about the Nazi regime's persecution of gays and Jews.