Berlin Kreuzberg – a small Istanbul of great inspiration

After the unification in 1990, the new German capital began to radically change its image. Especially the areas of the former East Berlin and the areas along which the infamous Berlin Wall stretched became playgrounds where architects from all over the world charted new directions in modern architecture.

And so a wonderful new city was born, which, like every huge metropolis, until recently had its own black spot, which was called Kreuzberg. If only recently we mentioned Kreuzberg and the old postal code They are 35, the stereotypes just rained down: squatters, punk, street riots, communities in small apartments, Turks and of course the famous 'long nights'. But the fall of the Berlin Wall did not leave this remnant of multiculturalism and alternative lifestyle unchanged. In divided Berlin, this was the most densely populated part of the city, a melting pot of foreigners, alternatives and various new-age movements. The fall of the Berlin Wall twenty years ago placed the district of Kreuzberg in the geographical center of the reunited Berlin. Due to the proximity to the central area of Mitte and low real estate prices, artists and seekers of new trends began to settle there, followed by the famous, rich and people eager for new challenges, who brought cosmopolitan restaurants, cocktail bars and clubs with them. Today, SO 36 presents an inviting mix of snobby apartments and restaurants that compete with countless kebab stands and restaurants.

A discarded part of the West
Kreuzberg is not only a pleasant, slightly confused and fashionable district, but also an important monument of half-past history. Unlike many other areas of Berlin, Kreuzberg has a short history, having been founded by Jewish immigrants in the 1920s, but after World War II, due to poor quality housing and government-regulated rents, it developed into the most backward and an isolated (bordered on three sides by the Berlin Wall) area of West Berlin. In the late 1960s, students and artists began to settle there, in addition to immigrants, and SO 36 became known for its alternative lifestyle, where bloody street riots took place in the late 1980s. Despite its rise to one of the most popular areas of the German capital, it remains an area of immigrants and their descendants, who are mainly of Turkish origin, which is why the nickname Little Istanbul stuck to it. In 2006, for example, as many as 31.6 percent of people who did not have German citizenship lived in Kruzberg. Precisely because of the many immigrants and also because of its rising fame, Kreuzberg is a city district with one of the youngest populations in Europe.

Memories of the past
Twenty years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, there are few remains in the city that would remind us of a divided city. One of the most visited is certainly the former border crossing between East and West Berlin, which the Western Allies named Checkpoint Charlie and became one of the symbols of the Cold War. Today, the dark period between 1961 and 1989, when Berliners were forcibly separated, is remembered by a former guardhouse, photographs of American and Soviet soldiers, and a museum Haus am Checkpoint Carlie, which shows the history of the border crossing, the wall and the sad fate of the people who wanted to defect. On the border with the Mitte area, on Niederkirchnerstraße, the remains of the wall are also visible, and next to it, an exhibition reminds us of another dark period of Berlin - the Second World War Topography of Terror, which documents the horrors of the Third Reich on the site of the former headquarters of the Gestapo. There is a building nearby Martin-Gropius-Bau, which presents a real treat for art lovers with its exhibitions. One of the most impressive buildings built after the reunification of Germany and also one of the most frequently visited museums in Berlin is The Jewish Museum, which represents two millennia of Jewish presence in German territory. The museum occupies two buildings: one is a former court from the 18th century, and the other is a building full of symbolism, designed by the American architect Daniel Libeskind, built especially for the museum in 2001.

Center of creativity
Kreuzberg was the driving force behind Berlin's punk rock movement and most other alternative subcultures in Germany. Legendary club SO36 giving birth to new stars again and again, but still staying true to its punk past. Despite the fact that the majority of the population is of German and Turkish origin, in recent years the African-American and hip-hop scene has particularly flourished, brought to Kreuzberg mainly by the descendants of American soldiers who were stationed nearby until the reunification of Germany.

A mixture of cultures and nations gathers once a year and rejoices in the streets of Kreuzberg in a festival called Carnival of cultures, where the nationalities living in Berlin present themselves in a street parade: with music, cuisine and typical products. This year, the streets of Kreuzberg will be dancing between May 21 and 24. On Oranienstraße, the main street of Kreuzberg, in addition to a wide variety of dishes from all over the world, we can also find a way to completely change your image. Young, not yet established fashion designers, hairdressers and interior design makers fight for attention with bold designs and ideas. After the stylistic transformation, we must of course familiarize ourselves with the latest trends.

The global economic crisis also affected art and many international galleries had to close their doors last year, which meant the rise of new gallerists, such as Christian Siekmeier, who runs Exile gallery, in which they present the works of young authors. Film lovers can also enjoy small cinemas that show films not seen in big multiplexes. One of the institutions is Babylon Kreuzberg, a former Turkish cinema, which today mainly shows English-language films, but the program varies between Indian and British films. Of course, we must not forget about the party, because Kreuzberg is synonymous with long nights and wild parties.

One of the most popular bars Barbie Deinhoff's led by transvestite Lena Braun, it also hosts literary evenings in the evenings in a kitschy atmosphere... until the party prevails. In summer, the party takes place outdoors at Kiki Blofeld, named after the daughter of the James Bond villain Blofeld. There is a crazy atmosphere all year round Schnabel Bar and in the bar Bierhimmel. A garage converted into a disco, where the most famous names of pop and rock music often perform, next to which there is a complex of swimming pools and beaches on the banks of the river Spree and a boat, intended only for entertainment. All this takes place in an entertainment center called Arena Berlin. When night turns into day and our stomachs growl, a snack that best represents the diversity of Kreuzberg is a must: the typical German curry sausage called Currywurst, which has become so famous that a museum is dedicated to it in the immediate vicinity of Kreuzberg.

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