Mitte North is a district in Berlin and covers Wedding, Gesundbrunnen and Moabit.
Wedding and Gesundbrunnen formed the Bezirk of Wedding prior to 2001 when the boundaries were redrawn. Wedding has a long tradition of being home to the working class and accordingly voted "red" for most of the Kaiserreich and Weimar era. During partition it lay on the west side of the wall and attracted an above average number of immigrants, particularly of Turkish descent. Since reunification it has been gentrifying much like Friedrichshain and Kreuzberg albeit not at the same breakneck pace.
Understand
[edit]The areas of Wedding and Gesundbrunnen used to be contained in the Bezirk Wedding until 2001 when they were merged into the Bezirk Mitte but the names and boundaries were retained for the Ortsteile. Wedding used to be known in Weimar times as "der rote Wedding" due to its working class left wing population. In later times, many immigrants, particularly Turks moved to the area. Nowadays Wedding is also increasingly gentrifying.
Gesundbrunnen is named for a fountain that was ascribed beneficial properties for people's health. However said fountain is no longer extant.
Get in
[edit]By urban rail
[edit]By long distance train
[edit]- 1 Berlin-Gesundbrunnen (in the district Gesundbrunnen). The station would be "Nordkreuz" if it were named with the same logic as Ostkreuz, Westkreuz and Südkreuz. It is served by numerous long distance trains as well as regional trains.
See
[edit]- 1 Hamburger Bahnhof – Museum für Gegenwart (Museum for the Present), Invalidenstraße 50-51 (S+U Hauptbahnhof), ☏ +49 30 266424242. Tu W F–Su 10:00–18:00, Th 10:00–20:00. Museum for Contemporary Art located in former Hamburger Bahnhof train station. Big halls filled with artworks made since 1960s. In 2004 Rieckhallen, former Lehrter Bahnhof, was opened and now provides exhibition space for the Friedrich Christian Flick Collection. Free public guided tours (in English): Sa and Su at 12:00. €10, concession €5, under 18 years free. Free entry for everyone every first Thursday of the month from 16:00-20:00.
- 2 Berlin from below (Berliner Unterwelten), Brunnenstraße 105 (at Gesundbrunnen station). Several daily tours 10:00-16:00 in different languages. Go on guided tours below Berlin to the World War II bunkers, flak towers, Cold War defence shelters, etc.
- 3 Humboldthain (Humboldthain S-Bahnhof). A pleasant park, featuring an anti-aircraft gun emplacement ("Flakturm") which offers sweeping views over Berlin
Do
[edit]Buy
[edit]- 1 Arminiusmarkthalle, Arminiusstraße 2-4. Sun closed. A market hall offering a mix of stalls with fresh and ready to eat produce (butchers, bakeries, delicatessen, etc.), and cafes and bars.
- 2 Gesundbrunnen Center.
Eat
[edit]Mid-range
[edit]- 1 Restaurant Angkor Wat, Paulstraße 22, ☏ +49 30-393 39 22. M-F 18:00-00:00; Sa Su 12:00-00:00. Very good Cambodian restaurant with authentic style. Lunch & dinner sets are excellent values.
- 2 Agni, Kaiserin-Augusta-Allee 1, 10553 Berlin, ☏ +49 176 49220550. M-F 11:00-15:00 and 18:00-22:00; Sa Su and holidays 18:00-22:00. Excellent Indian food.
Drink
[edit]Sleep
[edit]- 1 Smart Hostel, Hotel and Apartments, Genter Str. 53 a/b (5 minutes away from U Seestr.), ☏ +49 30 454 86 454, fax: +49 30 454 86 500, [email protected]. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 11:00.
Budget
[edit]- 2 Amstel House Berlin, Moabit, Waldenserstr. 31 (near U-Bahn station Turmstraße), ☏ +49 30 395-4072, [email protected]. A newly refurbished guest house in an Art Nouveau style building. Four-bedded dorms from €12/person/night. Single and twin rooms en-suite also available..
- 3 Meininger Hotel Berlin Central Station, Ella-Trebe-Straße 9 (It's next to the Central Station - just 50 m to walk (S-Bahn: Hauptbahnhof)), ☏ +49 30 666 36 100, fax: +49 30 666 36 222, [email protected]. Double Rooms start at €39 per person, dormitory starts at €21.