Free Tour for UNESCO World Heritage Day
Built in 1925-30, Bruno Taut’s Hufeisensiedlung in the district of Neukölln-Britz is probably the most outstanding example of innovative German town planning.
Image gallery
Luftbild des namengebenden "Hufeisens", 2014
Blick ins Innere des Hufeisen
Türen und Eingänge in der Hufeisensiedlung
Blick ins innere des Hufeisen
Café in der Infostation Hufeisensiedlung
Schlafzimmer des mietbaren Museums "Tautes Heim"
Türen und Eingänge in der Hufeisensiedlung
Luftbild des namensgebenden Hufeisens (Mai 2014)
The estate was co-designed by city planning director Martin Wagner and garden architect Leberecht Migge. It is grouped around an iconic horseshoe-shaped building of 350 meters and was awarded UNESCO World Heritage status in 2008.
The ensemble in Neukölln-Britz enjoys international renown as a milestone of social building reforms and modern urban housing policy. It is fun to stroll through this mixture of carefully arranged townhouses and modernistic apartment blocks to experience the rural charm of the carefully woven streets and public spaces. The tour takes you to the most iconic views and some hidden paths and reveals Bruno Taut´s unique mastership to add variety and cheerfulness despite using serial components to keep costs down.
In 1998 the whole ensemble became privatized, why the listed row houses are now owned by more than 600 individual private owners who are now responsible to preserve the World Heritage. This difficult situation gave birth to various preservation projects, in which the guide was deeply involved. After ca. 2 hours, at the end of the tour participants have the chance to visit the exhibition and/or have a coffee in the Infostation Hufeisensiedlung.
FEES:
Normally 15 € / per person, red. 10€; the German tour on 1 June is free of charge. A registration on 1 June is mandatory: welterbe@bricksandbeyond.de
For other tours registration is requested, minimum number of participants: 10 people, cancellation due to not reaching the minimum number of participants or bad weather reserved
Note: A visit to the rentable museum TAUTs HOME, run by the tour guide is unfortunately not possible due to the booking situation.
TOUR II (IN GERMAN): Sun, 1 June 2025, 5:00 – 7:00 pm
Meeting Point: Infostation Hufeisensiedlung, Fritz-Reuter-Allee 44, 12359 Berlin
NEXT ENGLISH TOUR: Sat, 13 September 2025, 5:00 – 7:00 pm
Meeting Point: Infostation Hufeisensiedlung, Fritz-Reuter-Allee 44, 12359 Berlin
(IN GERMAN)
Additional information
Even before the tour begins (starting at 2:00 p.m.), you can visit the World Heritage Information Center, located in the right-hand wing of the Hufeisensiedlung, to view an exhibition curated by the guide: Hufeisensiedlung Information Center, Fritz-Reuter-Allee 44, 12359 Berlin
Note:
Like the other World Heritage settlements, the Hufeisensiedlung is inhabited. The settlement is far from experiencing "overtourism," and most residents are proud to live in a World Heritage site. Nevertheless, we ask all participants to show appropriate consideration, especially when taking photos or encountering narrow passages on the sidewalk.
During the "Ab ins B" event weeks—as well as year-round upon request—
Additional guided tours by the same provider to:
- Falkenberg Garden City,
- Carl Legien Housing Estate,
- Reinickendorf White City, and
- the Zehlendorf Forest Settlement (also known as "Uncle Tom’s Cabin" or "Parrot Settlement")
Details + registration at
https://www.facebook.com/welterbesiedlungen/
Please note that the TAUTES HEIM vacation home—designed by the guide and his wife in a museum-like style, in strict accordance with preservation guidelines, and as a tribute to Bruno Taut—is not part of the tour. The house is designed for vacation use, study stays, and short-term living and can accommodate up to four overnight guests. Those interested can find more information at:
Additional tours by the same provider through the World Heritage settlements with "Ab ins B!" from April 22–25, 2025
Participating artists
Bruno Taut
Leberecht Migge
Martin Wagner
Dates
June 2026
| Mo | Tu | We | Th | Fr | Sa | Su |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
6
|
7
|
8
|
9
|
10
|
11
|
12
|
13
|
14
|
15
|
16
|
17
|
18
|
19
|
20
|
21
|
22
|
23
|
24
|
25
|
26
|
27
|
28
|
29
|
30
|
