Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Prussia and Antiquity
From 1821, the landscape
designer Peter Joseph Lenné and
the architect Karl Friedrich
Schinkel tried to turn the Potsdam
countryside and its woods and
lakes into an “island paradise.
Their concept was based on
Classical ideas of the harmonious
ensemble of architecture and
landscape, in accordance with the
idealized views of antiquity preva-
lent in the Neo-Classical period.
The architectural style of Prussian
palaces thus harks back to
Greek and Roman models and
the Italian Renaissance.
Villa at No.23 Toni-Lessler-Straße
flanked by elegant semi-circular
Art-Nouveau apartment blocks,
and in front of these stands
Berlin's last remaining Art-
Deco-style S-Bahn station. The
yellow buildings are covered in
green shingles and, in summer,
the balconies are richly decked
with greenery and flowers.
Some of Berlin's most magnifi-
cent mansion houses line both
sides of Argentinische and Lin-
denthaler Allee. Many celebrities
live in the area around the
square.
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Mexikoplatz
Strandbad Wannsee
Europe's largest inland
beach is a surprisingly pictur-
esque spot in the middle of the
large city, attracting up to 40,000
visitors a day. The swimming
baths were built in 1929-30 as a
recreation area for workers in the
neighbouring districts
(see p66).
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Wannseebadeweg 25
•
Apr-Sep:
10am-7pm Mon-Fri, 8am-8pm Sat, Sun
•
(030) 803 56 12
•
Admission charge
Dahlem Villas
Some of Berlin's most attrac-
tive villas, dating back to the
19th century, are found in the
streets surrounding the Grune-
wald S-Bahn station. Especially
worth seeing are Nos. 15 and
11 in Winklerstraße, the latter
of which was built by Hermann
Muthesius in the style of an
English country mansion. Villa
Maren, at No. 12 next door, is
a beautiful example of the Neo-
Renaissance style. The villas
on Toni-Lessler-Straße and on
Furtwänglerstraße are also worth
a detour.
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Am Großen Wannsee
Alliiertenmuseum
Visitors stroll around this
museum reminiscing and recall-
ing the 50 or so years of partner-
ship between Western Allies and
West Berliners. The museum,
based in a former US-barracks,
employs uniforms, documents,
weapons and military equipment
to tell the story of Berlin's post-
war history, though not only from
the military point of view.
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Clayallee 135
•
10am-6pm daily exc
Wed
•
(030) 818 19 90
•
Free admission
Mexikoplatz
Idyllic Mexikoplatz in the
southern district of Zehlendorf is
one of the most atmospheric
and architecturally fascinating
squares in Berlin. The two round
green spaces in the centre are
Villa at No.11 Winklerstraße
Alliiertenmuseum:
www.alliiertenmuseum.de
90
