Enjoy a nice walk

Stroll along the banks of the River Spree through Treptower Park. Pass Schlesisches Busch or walk through the "Tuchkasten-Siedlung" (Paintbox Housing Settlement). Treptow is best experienced on long walks or on a journey to the stars.

Through the beautiful park

Although the park is almost empty of people this morning, it is still the heart of Treptow. On the river bank, two fathers push strollers. A dog owner throws a stick while heavy clouds appear overhead. It is chilly and calm today in Treptower Park. A time between winter and spring that has a feeling of tranquillity that is heavenly. And there is hardly anything more beautiful than walking here through the greenery of the park on the River Spree that was built in 1888. You can see the grasshopper puppet theatre and Treptower Hafen (Treptow Harbour) where passenger ships begin their tours in the warmer seasons.

Soviet War Memorial - a memorial and cemetery

A few steps away to the south on a semi-circular square on Puschkinallee, there is a large iron gate between the trees. This is the entrance to the Soviet Memorial that is part of Treptower Park. The 100,000 square metre area is both a memorial and a cemetery. In fact it is a huge, symbolic cemetery with 16 marble sarcophagi and a hill with a walk-in pavilion and a statue of a Russian soldier carrying a German child in his arms. More than 5,000 Red Army soldiers are buried here.

Up to the stars

When you cross the impressive monument, you reach the jewel of Treptow at the south-eastern end of the park - the Archenhold Observatory. The oldest and largest public observatory in Germany has a historic 130 tonne giant telescope that is the longest mobile telescope in the world with a focal length of 21 metres. When it is overcast above, you can discover the northern and southern sky at the Zeiss Planetarium of the observatory that was opened in 1896. It is also worth visiting the various exhibitions - the nearly 300 kilogram meteorite from the Barringer crater in Arizona or the historic "Rooms of the Astronauts"

Take a break

Now it's time for a rest – perhaps in the "Klipper" sailing ship restaurant that is anchored very close to the observatory. The two-mast sailing ship that was built in 1890 in Groningen offers an excellent selection of fish and is one the most popular fish restaurants in the German capital. And the historic guest house "Eierschale Zenner" is not far away. This classic restaurant was established in 1822 by Carl Ferdinand Langhans, a Schinkel School student, and offers good food, musical entertainment and a fantastic view over the River Spree.

Downstream or upstream?

After the meal, you can choose between heading downstream or upstream. Now if you head down the River Spree and back through Treptower Park, you will find a 30 metre high metal sculpture with many circular holes. The three "Molecule Men" from the American sculptor Jonathan Borofsky stand in the middle of the water and look over the districts of Treptow, Kreuzberg and Friedrichshain. They also look over the tower at Schlesisches Busch on Puschkinallee. The ten metre high watch tower with gun hatches and searchlights was once part of the border between East and West Berlin. Today there is an exhibition here on the location's history as well as other new exhibitions.

An adventure in Wuhlheide

If you go upstream following the turns of the River Spree, you will reach FEZ Wuhlheide. Countless adventures await visitors to the largest non-commercial children and youth leisure centre in Europe. There is a trip to the stars where prospective astronauts have to get in shape with swivel chairs and swash plates. They will then be part of the space ship crew and take a virtual flight to the International Space Station. If you prefer to stay on the ground, you can visit exhibitions in the children's museum of the FEZ covering life and death, money and health. The best children's films are on at the FEZino family cinema. And a colourful world full of music and poetry awaits you at the Astrid-Lindgren Theatre.

The Tuschkasten-Siedlung (Paintbox Housing Settlment)

The Falkenberg Garden City located in south Treptow is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and looks like a fairy tale world. The architect Bruno Taut had it built between 1913 and 1915. It was named Tuschkasten-Siedlung (Paintbox Housing Settlement) because its most striking feature is the many colours - orange and black, a blue checked pattern on the house wall as well as a red and white striped window shutters. The houses at Falkenberg on Gartenstadtweg and Akazienhof are bright and colourful especially when the first warm rays of the sun shine through the clouds. Then there is nothing more beautiful than to walk through Treptow.