Video: KiezClash Charlottenburg

Charlottenburg, Berlin’s most elegant Kiez, is located west of the city centre. It was an important city until 1920 and is still one of Berlin’s most prosperous neighbourhoods.

Head to Schlossgarten Charlottenburg (the palace garden) if you want to get away from Berlin’s usual industrial and busy atmosphere. It is one of Germany’s first French Baroque gardens, modeled after the gardens of Versailles. The 55-hectare park is the oldest preserved park in Berlin and Potsdam. The well-maintained lawns, punctuated by ponds and moats, are perfect for a picnic or a nap in the sun.

In the park we find Schloss Charlottenburg (Charlottenburg Palace), the largest palace in Berlin. The palace was built as a summer residence for Sophie-Charlotte, the wife of Frederick I of Prussia. The palace grew in size over time. During WWII, the castle was almost completely destroyed. The buildings that still stand today have been restored, and some have even been completely rebuilt. 

The teahouse “Belvédère” is also located in the palace gardens. Today, it houses the world’s largest porcelain collection of Königliche Porzellan-Manufaktur Berlin (KPM). The rococo pavilion was built to the designs of architect Carl Gotthard Langhans, who also designed the Brandenburg Gate.

The Deutsche Oper Berlin opened in 1911 as an alternative to the Staatsoper Unter den Linden. In 1943, the building was bombed from the air and burned down completely. The opera was restored and, despite its sober appearance, is now a protected modern monument. It is also the home of Staatsballett Berlin, one of the largest dance companies in Europe.