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Parks and Gardens in Berlin
To balance the quick pace of life in the city, Berlin is home to a large number of parks and gardens. The best known park in the German capital, Tiergarten, is located in the very centre of the city, right next to the central railway station. It's particularly popular both with Berliners and visitors because it offers a lot of attractions such as the zoo, sports facilities and greens ideal for picnicking. If you'd like to combine a visit to a park with going sightseeing, go to Schlosspark Charlottenburg, in which besides beautiful nature you'll find the famous 17th-century Baroque palace complex, a greenhouse and a tea house. When you stroll through the city, you often come across green areas, check out what they offer or at least sit on a bench and rest in the peaceful surroundings – it's worth it!
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Praesidentendreieck (President's Triangle)
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The green area of Praesidentendreieck is cut off in the form of a triangle between Paulstrasse, the S-Bahn-Viaduct (the tram line) and the river Spree just opposite the castle Bellevue next to which present-day Presidency is situated. Hence, the name of the park which means President’s triangle (its full name being Park auf dem Bundespräsidenten-Dreieck, meaning 'Park on the triangle of the Bundespresident'). Until 1997 the land was used as a parking place for the employees working in the Presidency but with the construction of the new Presidency Building many trees had to be cut and the parking, no longer in use, was reshaped into a green area. It was officially opened to the public in May 2001 and since then it attracts visitors seeking peace and relaxation. A spot at the park that offers much of these is the Liegewiese (lying lawn) at Spree riverbank where one is welcome to enjoy either the sun rays or the cool shadows of the leafy trees. Praesidentendreieck is connected to the other side of Spree River by Lutherbrücke (Luther bridge) leading to the castle Bellevue and the Presidency. Berlin’s authorities are working on recreating the promenades along the riverbank. It is a great experience to see the Praesidentendrieck in every season as the choice of plants there ensures all year long delight.
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Koernerpark
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A small green space with its 2.4 hectares, Koernerpark is located in the Neukoelln district in Berlin. It provides locals and foreign visitors with a little bit of serenity and delightful quiet. Koernerpark carries the name of Franz Koerner, the former owner of the land, where the park was established. Initially, the area was a gravel pit and Koerner gave it as a gift to what was in 1912 the town of Rixdorf, with the requirement that the future park is named after him. As a result of the previous usage of the area as a gravel pit the newly-created park was somehow lower than the rest of the lands and was surrounded from three sides by walls. Thus, the Neo-Baroque style of Koernerpark’s layout was further stressed by the Greenhouse (Orangerie) built at the western wall. To add to the park’s beauties, there stands the magnificent water cascade in front of the Greenhouse. The Greenhouse building houses as well a gallery where different exhibitions are held and a cafe for those, who want to enjoy their free time over a cup of coffee.
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Schulenburgpark
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Schulenburgpark gives much of Neukoelln’s (a Berlin district) cultural importance with both its greenery and its artistic water facilities. The name of the park descends from the Graf von Schulenburg Rudolf Wilhelm and his noble ancestry. The land where Schulenburgpark is situated has always been used as a green space for relaxation and rest mainly because of its poor building conditions. However, the official establishment of the park took place as late as 1913 but the final look was created by the garden architect Ottokar Wagler a decade later. At that time the most attractive amenities of the Schulenburgpark were constructed, those being the elongated quadrangular water basin, the Spiegelbecken (Mirror basin) and the renowned Maerchenbrunnen at its southern end. Maerchenbrunnen (Fairytale fountain) is Schulenbugpark’s most visited sight due to its cultural and artistic significance. It was conceived and made in 1915 by Geyger its old name being Deutscher Wald (German Wood) but only a gypsum replica was installed until the original was ready. However, the introduction of the stone sculpture to its place in Sculenburgpark was delayed until 1935 because of the war. As it suffered severe damages during the next wars, nowadays it is slightly changed. Nevertheless, Schulenburgpark provides artistic and relaxing experience to its visitors.
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Brosepark
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Phone: 4930902950 (Pankow author
e-mail: poststelle@ba-pankow.verwalt-berlin.de
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One of the green spaces in the Berlin district Pankow is the Brosepark. This green area is approximately 4 hectares large with a great variety of rare trees some of which are declared natural monuments. The Brosepark was originally the garden adjacent to the summer house of the artist Palm. In 1789, the mansion was purchased by the banker Engel and a few decades later, in 1818 another banker, Christian Wilhelm Brose, bought the facility together with the additional constructions (a greenhouse and a small house) made by Engel. The new owner remodelled the garden much to its modern look, an English style garden with half-wood vision that gave it quite a romantic tone. To emphasise this atmosphere there were walls, ground lifting and other garden amenities all commissioned by Brose, who also became the patron of the park when the municipality bought it at the beginning of the 20th Century. Unfortunately, during the World Wars the buildings on Brosepark’s premises were severely damaged, although later on they were reconstructed. The whole park area underwent overall refurbishment in the 1980s. As a result the place is now equipped with a lovely playground for children and youngsters. Also their parents can use the alleys for jogging or go sightseeing to the beautiful bronze sculpture 'Mother with a child' by Felderhoff while enjoying the quiet surroundings.
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Wiesenpark (Meadow Park)
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Wiesenpark literally means 'Meadow’s Park' and, as its name implies, it consists mainly of grassy meadows spotted by groups of trees here and there. Its 23-hectares width is intersected by alleys perfect for cycling, running and strolling. Wiesenpark was created at the end of the 20th Century after a contest for a green space next to the living quarter Landsberger Tor in the Marzahn-Hellersdorf Berlin district. Being a part of the natural park Wuhletal, Wiesenpark features an ensemble of natural and artificial facilities including two interesting playgrounds, the river Wuhle that borders with the park in the east and beautiful vistas towards the distant living spaces. Especially in summertime, the green grass is so inviting for the visitors to lie down that one simply cannot resist. One of the playgrounds called Wiesentraum (Meadow Dream) is an adventure playground built up of spikes, ropes and other facilities representing the grass in which the children move like insects. The other playground named Blauer Wuhl (Blue Wuhl river) is composed of a series of climbing amenities for younger children’s muscular strength training.
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Brixplatz
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Brixplatz, formerly known as Sachsenplatz, lies within the boundaries of the 4th Berlin district Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf, taking up approximately 2 hectares of its territory. Brixplatz was conceived in 1909 filling up a gravel pit to its current form of a green space that is much more pleasant for the locals. The realisation of the plans, however, wasn't possible before the end of World War I when the park was finally established under the conduct of Charlottenburg’s chief gardener Erwin Barth. At this time the green platz (square) was named Sachsenplatz (Saxonia square - following the rule of naming the streets and squares after the former German kingdoms). Later on, in 1947, the park was renamed Brixplatz after Dr. Ernst Brix, a professor in Charlottenbug’s Technical University. With a difference of 14 metres in the altitude compared to the rest of the surrounding area, Brixpark posseses a wide range of wonderful amenities, such as a pond to indicate its lowest point and a Botanical garden so that Berlin citizens can be in touch with the variety of local plants. However, not only the flora was kept in mind to be driven closer to the people, but also the fauna and the geology of the larger Mark Brandenburg region. Thus there was a limestone rock installed on Brixplatz premises. Children were also not forgotten when the construction of the park was taking place and a playground is still available for them.
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Viktoriapark
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Located on top of the hill, Kreuzberg in the Berlin district that carries the same name, Viktoriapark offers a wonderful view over Germany’s capital. The history of the park started when a Monument commemorating the battles for freedom at the end of the Napoleonic wars was erected together with the surrounding green area. The Monument (also vernacularly called Kreuzberg Monument) was created back in 1821 in Neo-Classical style by the architect Karl Friedrich Schinkel and is considered nowadays as one of Berlin’s greatest sights. Moreover, the park at the foot of the monument, just on the slope, represents a lovely mountain-like wood, especially with the magnificent waterfall that descends from the top of the hill, just at the monument’s base downwards. The mountainous shapes of Viktoriapark, as well as the artificial waterfall were designed in 1888 by Hermann Maechtig, then the City garden manager.Next to the waterfall there is a bronze sculpture by Ernst Herter called 'The rare catch' featuring a fisherman holding a water spirit in his net.
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Monbijoupark
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Monbijoupark carries the name of the castle that existed once on the same location and it means 'My Jewel' (translated from French). The Schloss Monbijou (Monbijou Castle) was destroyed during the wars and the politicians decided that it would be better if the remnants were cleared away and a park was established on the spot. So between 1959 and 1962, in the Mitte district a new green space for the citizens’ recreation was opened. It featured a children’s pool and a restaurant, which were refurbished several times since the 1960s and the last redevelopment plans involved the renovation of the entire park facility. Not only new alleys were laid but also a fountain was installed and a bridge was built that connects Monbijoupark with Museum Island on the other bank of the Spree river. Monbijoupark features also a statue of the great German poet Adelbert von Chamisso from Julius Moser.
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