Biesdorf

Biesdorf is a neighborhood in Berlin's Marzahn-Hellersdorf district, which was incorporated into the city in 1920 when Greater Berlin was formed. Together with its neighbors Kaulsdorf and Mahlsdorf, it makes up the largest contiguous area of single-family and two-family homes in Germany. The history of the area reaches back to the Stone Age, as archaeological finds show. Among the most significant discoveries is a stag-antler mask dated to around 9,000 years ago, which was probably used in shamanic rituals. The first written records date from 1375. Over the centuries, ownership of the village changed hands several times before it passed to the Siemens family in 1885, who laid out the manor grounds as a landscape garden.

The historic center is dominated by Biesdorf Palace, a late Neoclassical tower villa built in 1868. Following a restoration true to its historic character that was completed in 2016, the building now serves as a municipal gallery and the district's cultural center. Here you can visit exhibitions and attend events, while the adjoining palace park, with its open-air stage, a tea house, and a reading garden, is a popular spot for relaxation. Other architectural highlights include the Gnadenkirche (Church of Grace) on the village green, which received its name after being rebuilt in the 1950s, as well as the historic manor farm in Alt-Biesdorf.

Besides its cultural sights, Biesdorf also offers experiences in nature. A hiking trail leads through the Wuhle Valley, which is surrounded by several nature reserves. Biesdorf Gravel Pit Lake invites you to swim and relax. In the area of the former Wuhlgarten, where an institution for people with epilepsy once stood, memorial stones now commemorate the victims of Nazi-era euthanasia. Public transportation is provided by the S5 S-Bahn line at Biesdorf station and by the U5 subway line at the Elsterwerdaer Platz and Biesdorf-Süd stations, giving the neighborhood good connections to the Berlin network.