Secret Tours Berlin

Secret Tours Berlin: A Walk Through the Hidden Courtyards of Spandauer Vorstadt

The meeting point is the corner building Hackescher Markt 4 in Mitte, in front of the entrance to the “I love Berlin” shop, a one-minute walk from the S-Bahn station. From there, Secret Tours Berlin leads for two hours through the Spandauer Vorstadt, the district between Hackescher Markt, Spree, Karl-Liebknecht-Straße, Torstraße, and Oranienburger Straße. It is one of the oldest parts of the city, once lay outside the city gates, was long considered a poor district, and is now a protected architectural ensemble. The tour is largely barrier-free and ends on Oranienburger Straße at the level of Tucholskystraße. No more than 15 people are allowed in a group; larger groups run as private tours. Large dogs are not allowed, and because almost the entire route is outdoors and through courtyards, weather-appropriate clothing and comfortable shoes are recommended. The courtyards are inhabited, so the group remains quiet and sticks to the passages.

From the Hackesche Höfe to the Otto Weidt Workshop for the Blind

The Hackesche Höfe from 1906 are the first stop and also Europe’s largest enclosed courtyard complex. Eight courtyards are arranged one after another, some with brightly tiled Art Nouveau facades, and they were intended as an example of modern, healthier living and working. Afterwards, the tour continues to Haus Schwarzenberg, the Rosenhöfe, the Sophie-Gips-Höfe, and the Heckmann Höfe, all of which have their own character. The route also includes the Old Jewish Cemetery and the Otto Weidt Workshop for the Blind. On Oranienburger Straße stands the New Synagogue with its over 50-meter-high, golden ribbed dome, which was inaugurated in September 1866 for Rosh Hashanah and, with more than 3,000 seats, was Germany’s largest synagogue until World War II. Along the way, the guide also explains the significance of the “Toleranzgasse” (Tolerance Alley). The public tour costs 20 euros per person and can be cancelled free of charge up to 24 hours in advance. Tours are conducted in German, and in English upon request.