French
DeutschSteglitz-Zehlendorf is the southwesternmost part of Berlin
Understand
[edit | edit source]Zehlendorf and Charlottenburg (see Berlin/City West) are the wealthiest parts of Berlin. The borough of Steglitz-Zehlendorf has a lot of lakes and forests, lots of culture and the biggest university in Berlin. Most famous is the Wannsee with its Strandbad, which is popular with families on summer weekends. There are other lakes where bathing is allowed and free.
Steglitz was merged with Zehlendorf in 2001 and is an ordinary (but nice) residential and shopping district, though one with a unique building, the Bierpinsel. Zehlendorf is more interesting for tourists because of its many museums, beautiful nature and some old castles.
The area is a rather bourgeois district and provides the centre-right CDU with much of its electoral strength in the city.
Get in
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By S-Bahn and U-Bahn
[edit | edit source]The center of Steglitz is the U-/S-Bahn station 1 Rathaus Steglitz U9 S1 . One of the most popular shopping streets in Berlin is the "Schloßstraße" with a good selection of specialized shops, especially medium and low-priced fashion shops. Additionally there are four small to medium-sized malls where you'll get everything you need.
Zehlendorf is spread quite far and depending on the area, different stations are the best. 2 Wannsee S1 S7 , 3 Grunewald S7 or 4 Dahlem-Dorf U3 are the best stations to stop at for the most interesting areas.
By ferry
[edit | edit source]Berlin ferry line F10 crosses the Wannsee to link Kladow (part of Berlin/Spandau) with the S-Bahn stop "Wannsee. The ferry takes roughly 20 minutes to do the 4.4 km (2.7 mi) trip and your BVG ticket is valid on the ferry. The ferry also carries bikes and can get crowded on summer weekends.
See
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- 1 Wannsee. This is the number-one bathing and recreation spot in western Berlin, with several beaches, the large Strandbad Wannsee open-air lido and several historic landmarks nearby.
- 2 Bierpinsel (Turmrestaurant Steglitz), Schloßstraße 17, 12163 Berlin (U-Bahn: U9 Schloßstr., S-Bahn: S1 Rathaus Steglitz, Bus: 186,282,M48,M85). The Bierpinsel ("beer brush") is a building in Steglitz which resembles an observation tower and is famous for its pop-art appearance. The futuristic building was built from 1972 to 1976 and has since been used as restaurant, night club, bar, radio station and art café. Once threatened with demolition as a white elephant, this unique structure was instead landmarked and is well worth looking at.
- 3 Botanical Garden and Botanical Museum Berlin-Dahlem (Botanischer Garten und Botanisches Museum Berlin-Dahlem), Königin-Luise-Straße 6-8 (train: S1 Botanischer Garten, U3 Dahlem Dorf, U9 Rathaus Steglitz), ☏ +49 30 838-50100, mail@bo.berlin. Jan 09:00-16:00; Feb 09:00-17:00; Mar 09:00-18:00; Apr 09:00-20:00; May-Jul 09:00-21:00; Aug 09:00-20:00; Sep 09:00-19:00; Oct 09:00-18:00; Nov-Dec 09:00-16:00; greenhouses close one hour earlier than the overall closing time. These beautiful gardens, which include 6,000 square metres of greenhouse space and over 20,000 plants spread over 42 hectares, are part of the Free University of Berlin. The museum is closed till 2027 for a complete redesign and renovation. Adults €10, reduced €5.
- 4 Jagdschloss Grunewald (Grunewald Hunting Lodge), Hüttenweg 100, 14193 Berlin. Nov-Mar: Sat Sun holidays 10:00-16:00; Apr-Oct: Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00. Built in 1542. An impressive traditional country estate with stately architecture, it is an enclave of untouched regional cultural history and architectonic epochs. The 80-hectare mixed forest also provides a wide network of paths for walking and rambling.
- 5 Mexikoplatz (S-Bahn: S1 Mexikoplatz, Bus: 118,622). Heritage listed Art Nouveau railway station and charming surrounding city square.
- 6 Schloss und Schlosspark Glienicke (Glienicke Palace, Casino and Garden). Apr-Oct: Tue-Sun; Mar Nov-Dec: Sat Sun holidays. This castle is one of Berlin's oldest castles and where Prince Carl used to reside. Be sure to check out Glienicke Bridge, the bridge that became renowned for the exchange of Western and Eastern secret agents. You can also visit Glienicke Park. Single €6, reduced €5, family €12.
- 7 Schloss Pfaueninsel (Peacock Island Palace), Nikolskoerweg, ☏ +49 331 96 94 202. Apr-Oct: Tue-Sun 10:00-17:00. €8 + €6 for the ferry.
- 8 Strandbad Wannsee, Wannseebadweg 25, 14129 Berlin (S-Bahn: S1,S7 Nikolassee), ☏ +49 30 803 5450. This heritage-protected public bathing beach which opened in 1907 is one of the largest inland lidos in Europe and has a 1275-m-long sand beach, a capacity for up to 30,000 guests and a popular nudist area.
- 9 Steinstücken. This would be a perfectly ordinary neighbourhood of Berlin or perhaps neighbouring Potsdam visible only on maps that show the border between Berlin and Potsdam if not for its history. While the Berlin border during German partition included a number of enclaves and exclaves, this is the only place where a significant number (some 300 people) ended up on an "island" of West Berlin surrounded by East German territory. Some complicated corridor solutions were applied for people from Steinstücken to be able to get to West Berlin proper without the need for lengthy border formalities. These days, like before partition, people in Steinstücken tend to use the services of Potsdam more than those of Berlin on a day-to-day basis.
- 10 Helmholtz-Zentrum Nuclear Reactor, Hahn-Meitner-Platz 1. The 10 MW research reactor BER II delivers neutron beams for a wide range of scientific investigations. On open house day, interested visitors are allowed to take guided tours through the experimental halls around the research reactor. Scientists and reactor experts will be there on these days to answer questions about the facility and the safety measures.
Museums
[edit | edit source]- 11 Allied Museum, Clayallee 135, 14195 Berlin (train U3 to Oskar-Helene-Heim, Bus 115 or X83), ☏ +49 30 8181990. Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00. A museum showing the Western side of the Cold War. Free.
- 12 Brücke-Museum, Bussardsteig 9, ☏ +49 30 8312029. Wed-Mon 11:00-17:00. Works from the Dresden art collaborative called "Die Brücke".
- 13 House of the Wannsee Conference, Am Großen Wannsee 56-58 (on the shoreline), ☏ +49 30 8050010. Daily 10:00-18:00; closed May 1, Good Fri, Jan 1, Dec 24-Dec 26, Dec 31. This museum explains how this house was used for a meeting of senior Nazis to ensure that they all knew that the SS would industrialize the use of mass-murder in disposing of Jews and "undesirables" and to debate a little the logistics of the Holocaust, for which Hitler had already given the orders. Free.
- 14 Liebermann-Villa am Wannsee, Colomierstraße 3 (On the Wannsee, 1.5km north of Wannsee S-train station (bus 114 to bus stop "Liberman-Villa")). Oct-Mar: Wed-Mon 11:00-17:00; Apr-Sep: Wed-Mon 10:00-18:00, Thu Sun holidays 10:00-19:00; closed Dec 24, Dec 31 off. House museum on Max Liebermann, German painter and printmaker. Has about 15 Lieberman paintings. €7 (€6 in winter).
- 15 Museum of European Cultures, Lansstraße 8 / Arnimallee 25, ☏ +49 30 266424242. Tue-Fri 09:00-17:00; Sat Sun 11:00-18:00. The biggest of its sort in Europe. At the museum district of Dahlem.
- 16 Museumsdorf Düppel (Museum Village Düppel), Clauertstraße 11. 14 March – 1 November: Sat-Sun and holidays except on Wed, 10:00-18:00. This museum is perhaps something you wouldn't expect in a major metropolis and truth be told it owes its existence in part to partition (when West Berlin schoolkids couldn't go to the surrounding Brandenburg countryside to experience rural life). Opened in 1975, it is an attempt to recreate as faithfully as feasible a medieval farming village from roughly the era of Berlin's founding (12th or 13th century). The village that existed at this place 800 years ago was not called "Düppel" back then as that name was only applied in the 1860s after the Prussian victory over Denmark at Dybbøl which was rendered into German as "Düppel" and applied to the area to honor a member of the Prussian royal family who owned land there. €6, under 18 free.
Do
[edit | edit source]- Rugby Union: Berliner SC play the 15-a-side game in 1. Bundesliga, German rugby's top tier, at Scharfestraße in Zehlendorf.
- Swim in one of the many lakes, such as Schlachtensee, Krumme Lanke or Wannsee. You should arrive with your bathing suit already on as there are no changing stations readily available.
Buy
[edit | edit source]The shopping street Schloßstraße (S+U9 "Rathaus Steglitz" Station) is full of great places to shop. You will find many small shops and chain stores.
- 1 Boulevard Berlin, Schloßstraße 10. An indoor shopping mall. [dead link]
- 2 Forum Steglitz, Schloßstraße 1 (at the Walther-Schreiber-Platz U-Bahn Station). Forum Steglitz, another indoor shopping mall, has much of the same stores that the earlier Das Schloss boasts, although the ice cream shop on one of the upper floors is a great place to take a break. They even have seating out front when the weather is nice. There is a nice, inexpensive make-up shop on the first floor to the left when you enter.
- 3 Karstadt, Schloßstraße 7-10. Karstadt is a nice department store with a grocery store in the basement where you can find some hard to find food items. [dead link]
- 4 Das Naturkaufhaus, Schloßstraße 101. The largest natural department store in the city, featuring eco-friendly clothes, paper products and beauty products, among other things. The best part is the basement, which is full of interesting decorations and cool items.
- 5 Peek & Cloppenberg, Schloßstraße 123-125 (across the street from Karstadt). A branch of the department store.
- 6 Das Schloss, Schloßstraße 34 (near U-Bahn Station Rathaus Steglitz). An upscale indoor shopping mall with a creative ceiling decoration.
- 7 Schloss Straßen Center, Walther-Schreiber-Platz 1 (at the Walther-Schreiber-Platz U-Bahn Station). The Schloss Straßen Center, another indoor shopping mall, is often packed with people coming out with brown Primark bags as this is the shopping centre which boasts Berlin's first Primark.
- 8 Werken, Spielen, Schenken, Schloßstraße 110b (at the Schlossstraße U-Bahn Station). A great place for kids. With a toy store in the front and a craft store in the back, you will find everything you need for playing or crafting.
Eat
[edit | edit source]- Confiserie Reichert, Schloßstraße 96, ☏ +49 30 7908320, info@c-r.berlin. Mon-Sat 9-18, Sun 10-18. A classic pastry place and café that also makes fabulous ice cream sundaes, many of them laced with wine or liqueurs. Also serves savory food. The price is a bit elevated, but so is the experience. Beautiful exterior, too.
- 1 Curry Wolf Steglitz, Schloßstraße 17a (at U-Bahn-Station Schloßstraße). Nice currywurst snack bar.
- 2 Die Fischerhütte am Schlachtensee, Fischerhüttenstraße 136 (directly at the Schlachtensee), ☏ +49 30 80498310. A cozy, yet elegant high end restaurant with an impressive visible wine collection. Sit outside in the warmer months for the gorgeous views outside.
- 3 Loretta am Wannsee, Kronprinzessinenweg 260, ☏ +49 30 80105333. One of the most popular beer gardens in Berlin in summer, for eating and drinking in the sun. There is a Loretta restaurant, the Loretta Biergarten and the Loretta Almhütte.
- Yangguofu Malatang Steglitz, Albrechtstraße 131 (at U/S-Bahn-Station Rathaus Steglitz), ☏ +49 30 81813081, info@yangguofu-mala.de. Daily, 11:30-21:00. The Berlin location of a fast-casual chain based in China that specializes in spicy soups (malatang) but also makes a non-spicy tomato broth and sesame-based dry mix. You choose the other ingredients from the refrigerator in the front of the restaurant, and they are of high quality and include interesting items like spicy Thai fishcakes and buckwheat noodles that you might not find at other locations. Extensive indoor and outdoor seating, no waiter service. Cost is by weight of the items you choose: €3.19 per 100 grams; two people can share a huge bowl for €40.
Drink
[edit | edit source]- 1 Café Melanie, Rheinstr. 43, 12161 Berlin (U-Bahn: U9 Walther-Schreiber-Platz, S-Bahn: S1 Feuerbachstr., Bus: 181,186,246,M48,M76,M85), ☏ +49 30 8516004, cafemelanie@t-online.de. 09:00-close. Have a coffee, long drink or cocktail at this cozy café which is one of the most longstanding in Steglitz and Friedenau. This venue also offers some delicious meals, ice cream, breakfast and brunch. [dead link]
Sleep
[edit | edit source]- 1 Hotel Pension Enzian, Hortensienstr. 28, ☏ +49 30-832 50 75. A friendly, family-run hotel with large double bed rooms. Small hotel with a personal atmosphere. Within 1-minute walking distance is a S-Bahn station and a good Spanish restaurant. Serves breakfast, wireless is €4 per day.
- 2 Landhaus Schlachtensee, Bogotastr. 9, Zehlendorf, ☏ +49 30-809-9470. Set nearby the Schlachtensee and Krumme Lanke lakes, the Landhaus offers a quiet and tranquil location, with the personalized service of a bed and breakfast. [dead link]
Connect
[edit | edit source]Go next
[edit | edit source]Potsdam shares an administrative boundary with the district. Otherwise, it's easy and quick to get to neighborhoods to the north such as Schöneberg via the S1 or U9 from Rathaus Steglitz, Schloßstraße, etc.