Berlin-Lankwitz

Lankwitz, the easternmost district of Berlin's Steglitz-Zehlendorf borough, looks back on a long history that reaches as far as the 13th century. The first written mention of the village in 1239 is also the oldest known record of any place within what is now Berlin's city limits. The name derives from the Old Slavic Lankowice and refers to the riverbank meadows along the Lanke, a former meadow brook whose course has largely been absorbed into the Teltow Canal. Originally laid out as a horseshoe-shaped Slavic settlement, the village developed into a typical Angerdorf, a village built around a central green. The historic village center is still recognizable today around Alt-Lankwitz, where you'll also find the village church, which was probably built around 1250 when the village came under the control of the Benedictine convent in Spandau.

The architectural and cultural diversity of the district reflects its transformation from a rural village into an urban residential area. Besides the historic village church, other religious buildings shape the cityscape, including the Dreifaltigkeitskirche (Trinity Church), the Mater Dolorosa Church, and the Kreuzkirche (Church of the Cross). Particularly worth a look are Herrenhaus Correns, also known as the Siemensvilla, and the Ratswaage, which is considered the smallest piece of real estate in Berlin. Also of interest to visitors is Gemeindepark Lankwitz, which offers a place to relax with a pond, a deer enclosure, and a mini-golf course. Lankwitz is also home to the Energie-Museum Berlin, housed in a former power plant, as well as the Preussenstadion, the home ground of the BFC Preussen soccer club.

The infrastructure is well developed, with the S25 and S26 S-Bahn lines connecting the district to Berlin's rail network. The Teltow Canal, which forms the northern boundary of Lankwitz, serves not only shipping but also shapes the landscape. The district is also an important center for education and research, as it is home to the Free University of Berlin campus with its Department of Earth Sciences. Despite urban development, Lankwitz has kept its character as a green residential neighborhood in the southwest of the capital, an impression underscored by its many parks, cemeteries, and proximity to bodies of water.