Berlin Mitte - the center and heart of the city
The Oranienburger Vorstadt was already an important industrial hub in the 19th century, where engineering companies and iron foundries were located and later also typical Berlin tenements. The nearby Nordbahnhof train station was an important point of contact in the city. A spacious park was opened on the former railroad site in 2009, adjacent to sports facilities that are ideal for playing and training.
When Greater Berlin was created in 1920, the Oranienburger Vorstadt became part of the newly created Mitte district. Just like today, Mitte offered plenty of space for a lively nightlife, for business people, cultural workers and creatives.
The people in the neighborhood have left their mark here, as has contemporary history itself. The theater people Bertolt Brecht and Helene Weigel, for example, lived in the neighbouring Chausseestraße, where the singer-songwriter Wolf Biermann also once moved into an apartment. During the Cold War, the surrounding area was a venue for world history - on the one hand, it was located in the restricted area along the Berlin Wall. On the other hand, countless people passed between East and West of the divided city at the Chausseestraße border crossing.
Today, the area is not only home to the start-up scene, but also to theaters, museums, galleries and countless restaurants and bars. The former Oranienburger Vorstadt is a listed building ensemble and is considered one of Berlin's largest and best-preserved historic districts. As soon as you step from the front door onto the street, this unique history is present at every turn.
