Nikolaiviertel, Berlin

This is where Berlin began around the church of St. Nikolai.

You can walk around this peaceful area of historical Berlin and shop in the many boutiques or have a bite to eat and a drink in one of the many pubs of restaurants. Here you will also find Berlins oldest pubs!

When you explore the Nikolai area then I would visit the Hanf Museum.

You will learn a lot about the history of Hanf, and in the cafeteria you can taste some Hanf tea.

You might even think about starting a career as Hanf farmer!

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Este barrio que parece medieval al lado del río Spree , con una de las iglesias más antiguas de Berlín , con sus calles adoquinadas ... fue construido en los años 80 por la RDA para celebrar el 75 Aniversario de Berlín
De cualquier manera es un sitio muy agradable para pasear , comprar algún recuerdo y salir del bullicio de Berlín

It seems a medieval quarter next to the river Spree, with one of the oldest churches in Berlin, with its cobbled streets ... but it was built in the 80s by the GDR to celebrate the 75th anniversary of Berlin
Either way is a very pleasant place to stroll, shop , get a souvenir and scape from the bustle of Berlin

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To call the Nikolaiviertel (Nikolai Quarter) the Old City of Berlin would be presumptuous. This is just a very small neighborhood, which was the site of Berlin's beginnings dating to the 13th century. What you see today is mostly reconstructed.
The location of this early settlement of Berlin was on the river Spree, at a shallow point where it could be crossed. Today the Nikolaiviertel lies between the Spree and the modern Alexanderplatz with its TV tower.

In the center of Nikolaiviertel stands the Nikolai Church, on the site where Berlin's oldest church was built in the 1230s in the romanesque style.
"Ephraim Palais", one of the most well known buildings in the Nikolaiviertel, was the palace of King Friedrich the 2nd's finance minister. It got demolished in 1936, and its reconstruction during the Cold War era was a unique story: parts of the original facade were stored in West Berlin, and the West Berlin authorities gave them to the DDR for use in the re-building of the palace.

Today the Nikolaiviertel boasts 5 museums (the cannabis museum is one of them), 22 restaurants (mainly traditional German cuisine) and over 50 shops. It's a change of style and pace from modern Berlin which surrounds it, and a nice place to spend an evening.

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Having got off the cruise on the river and seen this quarter from the waterside, we decided to return on foot to have supper there.And it was a wonderful choice.The quarter is very quaint and picturesque and has many attractive bars and restaurants.
We had a Chinese meal in one place,I think it was called China garden but I am not sure.it was above the street and you could look down and watch the passers by.
Across the street was another one with some Jazz musicians playing outside.It is pleasant just to walk around the windy streets and look at the pretty houses and coffee bars, and soak up the atmosphere. There is the Nikolai church with a statue of a Bear outside,(which was being restored) and the statue of St George killing the dragon.

The twin-towered Nikolaikirche is the oldest church in Berlin. It is at the center of the Nikolaiviertel, a medieval quarter which was destroyed during the war and reconstructed in 1987. It is now a museum.

As with all other monuments in Berlin, the age of Nikolaikirche is relative. The church dates back to 1230 and therefore is Berlin’s oldest church, located in Berlin’s oldest and most picturesque quarter (Nikolaiviertel). The wonderful thing is that some parts are really from this era. Well, not a lot – but the four-storey base of the west tower which looks a bit like a fortification is that old, and it was integrated into the new church from the 15th century. The neo-Gothic twin towers, very distinctive for the extremely pointed helm-roofs, were added in 1878. And then… same story… World War II, bombs, rubble, ruin. Not before 1980 to 1987 the burnt-out ruin was reconstructed, ready for Berlin’s 750th anniversary. Thanks to some remains of the vaults it was possible to keep to the original colour scheme.

You would not think that the major parts of the church are of such recent date. When you walk around it you feel like stepping back in time, discovering historic looking details on the exterior walls, some beautifully carved stone plates with angels and coats of arms. Of course, also the atmosphere contributes to this feeling, walking through Berlin’s medieval history.

The church is consecrated to the patron saint of the merchants. The original building was a pillar basilica made of stone. At the end of the 13th century the nave was transformed into a brick hall-church, with three naves identical in height. This had not been seen before in the region and was copied everywhere within the next decades. The construction of the choir was started in the 1370s but interrupted by the big fire in the city in 1380. Probably it was not finished before 1400. In the middle of the 15th century the main nave, the northern addition to the choir and the Liebfrauenkapelle (chapel) in the south-west were built. From 1876 to 1878 Hermann Blankenstein removed most of the Baroque modifications and rebuilt the front towers; since then it has its symmetrical structure.

Open Tue – Sun 10am – 6pm, Wed 12noon – 8pm
Entry free

At the Spree end of Propststraße (in Nikolaiviertel) you find a spectacular bronze statue. It depicts St. George fighting against the dragon. It was created by the artist August Kiss in 1853.

The statue has been relocated twice until it found its actual site on the banks of the river Spree. Originally it sat in the courtyard of Berlin’s City Castle that does not exist anymore. In 1951 when the GDR regime ordered the demolition of the castle’s remains St. George found a new home in Volkspark Friedrichshain until it was transported to the banks of the Spree.

From its current location you have a great view towards Museumsinsel with the Spree bridges and especially to Berliner Dom.