Friedrichshain is an interesting part of the city known for its famous Soviet based architecture on Karl-Marx-Allee, the trendy Boxhagener Platz area and the East Side Gallery, a part of the Berlin Wall that stands as an international outdoor gallery. Friedrichshain is located directly across the river from rival Kreuzberg and formerly was part of the GDR (East Germany). Friedrichshain is currently one of the trendier districts in Berlin and is fast experiencing gentrification, although perhaps not as extreme as neighboring Kreuzberg.
East Side Gallery
The East Side Gallery is one of largest open air galleries in the world. There are over 105 paintings by artists from all over the world, painted on the east side of the Berlin Wall. As all the paintings were painted directly on to the wall, there is no entrance fee. Feel free to wander! Read More
Oberbaumbrücke
The Oberbaumbrücke is a beautiful bridge connecting Kreuzberg and Friedrichshain. The Oberbaumbrücke is next to the East Side Gallery, don’t miss out on seeing it if you are in the neighborhood. Since 1998, this bridge has hosted an annual summer vegetable fight between residents of Kreuzberg and Friedrichshain. Read More
Karl-Marx-Allee
Karl Marx Allee is a socialist boulevard build by the DDR between 1952 and 1960. The boulevard was originally named Stalinallee and was meant to showcase the East German state. Stalinallee had thousands of spacious luxurious apartments, shops, cafes and a cinema. The boulevard was a shoppers’ paradise in the DDR, which otherwise suffered from the centrally planned economy. Today, you can walk along the wide boulevards, take in the Stalinist architecture and grab a bite to eat at one of the many restaurants. Read More
Frankfurter Tor
Frankfurter Tor is a large square in the heart of Friedrichshain. It is named after the 18th century city gate on the road towards Frankfurt (Oder). The prominent towers that now stand at Frankfurter Tor were built between 1953 and 1956 and are also located on Karl-Marx-Allee (see above). Frankfurter Tor is a popular place for people to gather during nice Summer days and on New Years Eve celebrations. Read More
Simon-Dach-Straße
Simon-Dach-Straße is a popular street full of little restaurants of all types, cafes and shops. Quite popular with tourists during warmer months, it remains one of the trendiest areas in Berlin. The restaurants and shops on Simon-Dach cater to its inhabitants’ needs with unique shops, fancy ice cream and the obligatory selection of vegan eateries. Read More
Boxhagener Platz
Boxhagener Platz or “Boxy” as it’s known locally is a square located one block from Simon-Dach-Straße in Friedrichshain. Boxhagener Platz holds a weekly flea market (Flohmarkt) on Sundays where you can find books, records, and other second hand things. In recent years, the popularity of this flea market have increased among tourists — unfortunately this means prices have increased and you may have to look hard to find a good bargain. Read More
Volkspark Friedrichshain
Volkspark Friedrichshain is a large park on the border of Friedrichshain and Prenzlauer Berg. It is the oldest park in Berlin and also the third largest. This park is used throughout the year for jogging, tennis, and even sledding in the winter. If the weather is nice, you can count on this park being packed with rollerblading, running and beer drinking Berliners. Read More
Rigaer Straße
Rigaer Strasse is one block North of Frankfurter Tor and is one of the last concentrated areas of squats and social collectives in Berlin. In Berlin, squats are generally very recognizable from the street as they are covered in bright paint and murals. Read More