Bike into the past! This option is offered by the “Bicycle Routes Industrial Heritage in Berlin”, which lead past various industrial monuments in the capital. This summer, a new route was added.
It goes by the name of “Nature and Infrastructure” and unsurprisingly also takes you past some of Berlin’s green corners. The thematic focus is on the turn of the century. During this time, Berlin experienced a considerable population boom and all these people wanted somewhere to live. New residential areas and infrastructure were built on the outskirts of the city.
From Station to Station
The route starts at Westkreuz S-Bahn station, from here it goes into the Grunewald forest and along the Havelchaussee. Continue to the banks of the Havel, with an ideal opportunity to take a break on one of the beaches or in one of the cozy cafés, and finally to your destination, Wannsee S-Bahn station.
The industrial treasures on the route include the Berlin exhibition grounds with its radio tower, as well as the Haus des Rundfunks and the Wannsee lido itself. One of the oldest monuments on the route even dates back to the 19th century: The Teufelssee waterworks, built in 1871, is the oldest surviving waterworks in Berlin.
Nature and Industry
But we also promised you green nature. You can discover it in the Grunewald forest, which is also part of the capital’s industrial history. During the Cold War, firing ranges and ammunition depots were set up here, and even today, residual ammunition found here is regularly disposed of professionally. The Grunewald is also used for forestry. The Havel has always been an important waterway in the region, and during the Berlin Blockade in 1948/49 it even served as a landing strip for seaplanes for the airlift.
In short, there is a lot to discover when you cycle through Berlin. Getting to the route is very easy thanks to the S-Bahn stations as starting and finishing points. All further information on the route and the monuments can be found from July 18 on the homepage of the Berlin Center for Industrial Heritage, as well as the five previous routes. And always remember: Put your helmet on.
