Stadtbad Oderberger

A swimming pool by Ludwig Hoffmann, thirty years in slumber

Ludwig Hoffmann, the city planner to whom Berlin owes a whole series of its most beautiful public buildings, designed the house on Oderberger Straße in 1898. Four years later it opened as a public bath, was closed in 1986, and then stood empty for about three decades. The restoration has left the hall in its original state, with the old tiles, original lights, stair railings, and small underwater motifs in the decor, plus a gallery from which one can view the entire pool. Swimming takes place in a 20-meter long pool, 1.35 meters deep, with a water temperature of 26 degrees Celsius. Those who swim laps here quickly realize why it helps against stress: there are no wave pools, no slides, and no announcements, only the echo under a high vault. However, there is also no lifeguard supervision; swimming is at your own risk, and fins, boards, or air mattresses are not allowed. The hall is a listed building, and it is evident that the renovation did not attempt to make it look modern. Those interested in architecture will thus get a double benefit from their visit. Two years are to be distinguished: The hotel in the building opened in 2016, and swimming operations resumed one year later.

Ninety degrees, an ice fountain, and a relaxation area with infrared loungers

The bath includes a compact but complete sauna area. The Finnish sauna operates at 90 degrees Celsius, an ice fountain is available for cooling down, and in the separate relaxation area, infrared heaters warm the loungers. Changing rooms, showers, a locker system, and a towel service are provided, but bath towels must be booked separately or brought along. The former engine house now houses a fireplace bar and a restaurant, making it easy to turn a visit into half an evening. Important for planning: The bath belongs to a hotel and is not continuously open to the public. External guests book a time slot in advance, and on event days, the hall and sauna remain closed. Prices are only available in the booking system; the establishment does not publish a price list. The Eberswalder Straße U-Bahn station is just under half a kilometer away; parking spaces at the building are few and subject to a fee. Those coming by car should better park in the Kulturbrauerei parking garage, which is about two hundred meters away. One thing to keep in mind: The bath is small, and on well-attended days, you will share the pool with more people than the photographs of the empty hall might suggest.