Tempelhof

Tempelhof airport - it was known around the world as the airport of freedom and made the district famous. Until its closure on 30 October 2008, it was one of the three main commercial airports in the region around Berlin. Now it is the green lungs of the district, a 386-hectare open space that houses the Bread & Butter fashion trade fair and awaits its future.

But before we look to the future, let's take a look at the past: the villages of Tempelhof, Mariendorf, Marienfelde and Rixdorf were founded by the Knights Templar. Pope Clement V disbanded the order in 1312 and transferred their possessions to the Order of St. John, which sold the four independent villages to the city of Berlin in 1435.

Today, Tempelhof is characterised by a blend of tenement buildings and housing estates, industrial sites and parks, as well as a few arbour colonies.
The commercial and industrial areas are concentrated on traditional industrial streets such as Gottlieb-Dunkel-Strasse or Teilestrasse, lining up along Teltow Canal in particular. But just as the entire city of Berlin only discovered its attractive waterways after the fall of the Berlin Wall, Teltow Canal has only recently begun to flourish in Tempelhof. A site used for decades as a scrap yard is now home to one of Berlin's most beautiful shopping centres: the 'Tempelhofer Hafen'. Nowhere else in Berlin will you get a tastier fish roll, with views of the water and the barges bobbing slowly past on the water.

On the opposite side of the canal is the Ullsteinhaus. This monumental red brick building is where the newspapers of the Ullstein publishing house were printed in the 1960s. Today, it is home to a fashion centre and a number of other small businesses.
Those who love the thrill of gambling should head further south to the Mariendorf trotting course. Visitors can reap huge profits by placing bets on the horses and riders or simply enjoy watching the action.

Tempelhof also offers a variety of cultural attractions: the Ufa-Fabrik stages concerts, cabaret, comedy and children's festivals. It has a children's farm and a bakery that is famous for its wholemeal bread. The C-Halle at the airport is a leading venue for pop concerts.

The residents of Tempelhof love the 'neighbourhood feel' of the district. Despite all the growth, it remains a village in the best sense of the word. Everyone knows each other, and everyone looks out for each other. Rapper Bushido comes from Tempelhof, and the current Mayor of Berlin, Klaus Wowereit (SPD), was also baptised with water from the Teltow canal.

And what happens to the airport now? The ideas range from a giant artificial mountain to a nature reserve. The future of Tempelhof and its airport looks exciting. (DK)