Alt-Treptow

Alt-Treptow is a historic neighborhood in Berlin's Treptow-Köpenick district, bordering Neukölln, Kreuzberg, Friedrichshain, and the Plänterwald forest. Settlement here goes back to the 6th or 7th century, when Slavic peoples inhabited the area. The name probably derives from Slavic words for deciduous wood or water and originally referred to a fishing settlement on the Spree River. In the 18th century, the area developed into a popular day-trip destination for Berliners, a trend boosted by the creation of Treptower Park and the construction of cafés such as the well-known Gasthaus Zenner. After the clearing of the Köllnische Heide forest in the 19th century, nurseries and industrial companies moved in, among them Jordan's chemical factory, which later became part of the Agfa group.

The neighborhood left its mark on Berlin's history as an industrial site and as part of the Berlin Wall. The border ran along the Landwehr Canal and Bouchéstraße, and West Berliners used the narrow border strip as a recreation area. Famous escape attempts, such as the tunnel of 1962, bear witness to the area's unusual location. Today, the Soviet War Memorial in Treptower Park commemorates the victims of World War II. The former barracks grounds now house parts of the Federal Criminal Police Office, while the renovated industrial halls of the Beermann brothers serve as the event venue Arena Berlin.

In Alt-Treptow, you'll find a mix of industrial heritage and modern urban development. Lohmühlenstraße, with its protected factory buildings, is now home to creative companies. Treptower Park offers cultural and historical highlights with the memorial and the Archenhold Observatory, which has the longest refracting telescope in the world. The Treptow harbor is an important hub for passenger boat tours. As a transportation hub, the neighborhood is well connected to Berlin's network via Treptower Park S-Bahn station, bus lines, and Federal Highway 96a.