The Abandoned Bärenquell Brauerei in Niederschöneweide, Berlin, Germany
Brewery Ruins
Berlin has many abandoned or repurposed buildings – the iconic club Berghain used to be a power plant, the Berlinische Galerie used to be a glass factory, the much-debated Eisfabrik building used to be an ice factory before its takeover by Mediaspree. Some of the best parts of Berlin are the abandoned ones, as these places can become rich places for history and street art with an ever-changing look and feel.
The Bärenquell Brauerei is no different. It used to be one of the top four brands of beer in Berlin, but the GDR brewery closed in 1994. The complex is still very much intact, and still pretty accessible as well. This has made it a popular spot for taggers, adventurous couples, street artists, explorers, photographers, and of course, beer drinkers.
student and writer
Learning German, seeing as much art as possible, waiting for summer.
Berlin is punk, historic, chic, proud, hard.
A perfect day would mean perfect weather- not the overcast norm. Brunch, a walk by the river in Spreepark, an afternoon beer, perhaps some art openings and dinner and drinks with friends before a show.
Though it’s close to the subway station and easy to find, not that many people frequent this spot. It’s like a separate world to explore, and will be different each time you go.
The fear of stepping in squatters’ feces.
It’s abandoned, but there’s a sort of understanding that it’s okay to explore and trespass.
Helmut Newton, Maurizio Cattelan and Pierpaolo Ferrari of Toilet Paper Magazine, David Hockney
Name:AJ Kiyoizumi
City:Berlin
Favorite place to eat:
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Local Tip:
The more German you know, the better 🙂
Must Do:
See the East Side Gallery! Or shop at Mauerpark Flohmartk.