Volkspark Friedrichshain

Volkspark Friedrichshain, a Volkspark being a public city park open to everyone, was created between 1846 and 1848 to plans by the landscape architect Gustav Meyer and counts as the first municipal green space in Berlin, laid out in the spirit of Peter Joseph Lenné. Its roughly 121 acres (49 hectares) hold a varied landscape of wide meadows, mature trees, ponds and curving paths that works for walking, running or just sitting in any season.

Its best-known feature is the Märchenbrunnen (Fairy Tale Fountain) at the western entrance, dedicated in 1913 to designs by the city building commissioner Ludwig Hoffmann. Sculptors including Ignatius Taschner created the figure groups drawn from the Brothers Grimm, among them Hansel and Gretel, Snow White and Puss in Boots. The park's other curiosity is its pair of rubble hills, known locally as "Mont Klamott." They were piled up between 1946 and 1950 from the debris of demolished flak towers and bombed buildings, and today they offer nice views across the park.

The park packs recreation and history into a small area. Alongside monuments commemorating the Spanish Civil War volunteers and German-Polish reconciliation, an open-air stage hosts summer events. Sports fans find beach volleyball, basketball and soccer areas, a climbing rock and a fitness circuit. With café seating, lawns for games and shaded benches, it is a favorite gathering spot for families and neighbors alike.