Hackesche Höfe

The Hackesche Höfe form the largest connected courtyard complex in Germany and a landmark of the Spandauer Vorstadt, the neighborhood next to the historic Scheunenviertel. Built between 1905 and 1907 to plans by the architect Kurt Berndt, the buildings wrap around eight interconnected courtyards covering roughly 27,000 square meters (about 290,000 square feet). The complex opened in September 1906 and has been a protected historic monument since 1977.

Architecturally the highlight is the first courtyard, whose facades the Art Nouveau artist August Endell clad in colored glazed brick with sweeping ornament. The street front on Rosenthaler Straße is showy and richly decorated, while the courtyards behind it get quieter and more finely broken up. After the Wall came down the complex fell into disrepair, then was thoroughly restored between 1994 and 1997, and it now counts among the best-known properties in Berlin.

Today the courtyards mix apartments, offices and culture. You will find the Chamäleon Theater variety stage, the long-running Hackesche Höfe cinema, plus boutiques, galleries, cafés and restaurants. Walking through all eight courtyards is worth it precisely because each one has its own character. One tip: early in the day it is noticeably calmer, while in the evening the area around the courtyards and nearby Hackescher Markt draws a big crowd.