Bouleplatz am Landwehrkanal

Boule on the Landwehrkanal: Kreuzberg Sunday Ritual

If you want to leave a boring Sunday behind in Berlin, head to the water. At Paul-Lincke-Ufer in Kreuzberg, residents and travelers relax between restaurants, bars, and cafés. Right in the middle: between Forster Straße and Glogauer Straße are three boules courts that can be used free of charge. It sounds simple, but it feels like a small vacation. The German Boules Championships have even been held at the facility on the Landwehrkanal in front of hundreds of spectators. Normally, however, the atmosphere is much more relaxed. People meet here for an after-work beer, for chatting, for sunbathing, or just because, and every now and then a boule is thrown.

Boules has been played on Paul-Lincke-Ufer for around 30 years. Since then, the court’s audience has fundamentally changed. When the weather is good, it can still get quite crowded, as up to 100 boules fans gather here on weekends. So: those who wait for a court, wait happily.

Simply Join In at the Boules Court on the Landwehrkanal

Four clubs are active on the boules court at Paul-Lincke-Ufer, organizing tournaments and taking care of the court. There are also organized offers for anyone who has never held a boule before: The free boules training to improve basic skills like pointing and shooting is open to everyone, and boules are provided if needed. For those who want to dive straight into tournament life: Every Friday from 18:00, the Supermêlée takes place, which is an excellent way to get to know the court and its people. The courts are surrounded by numerous wooden benches where many residents and visitors from all over the city settle down with a drink and observe the action. If you don’t bring your own boules, just watch. That’s perfectly fine here too.