What to See in Berlin’s Jewish Quarter
The history of Berlin’s Jewish community dates back to the 15th century. Although they didn’t occupy a specific area within the city, their influence and culture are well marked in several streets now known as Berlin’s Jewish Quarter.
Here, we share details of its past, along with its most important buildings and monuments.
While the Jewish community expanded into various parts of Berlin, it’s known that before WWII, part of the Mitte district hosted one of the city’s largest Jewish settlements.
Between Oranienburger, Linien, Rosenstraße, Alte Schönhauser streets, and Monbijou Park, you’ll find some of the most significant markers of Jewish history.
There’s a lot to see in Berlin in three days, and the Jewish Quarter is a must for understanding how Judaism has influenced the city over the years.
Tour Through Berlin’s Jewish Quarter
You can take a free walking tour in the Jewish Quarter of Berlin to catch all the highlights. Here are some of the sites and stories you’ll encounter:
Hackesche Höfe Courtyards
Between Rosenstraße and Sophienstraße, you’ll find a series of charming inner courtyards. Dating back to 1906, these consist of eight courtyards connected by various passages within very modernist buildings.
Back then, the buildings housed small factories, offices, and apartments. Today, they have been renovated into art galleries, bars, and restaurants.
One of the Modernist Courtyards in Hackesche Höfe
Otto Weidt Museum
Amid the Hackesche Höfe courtyards, you’ll see the Otto Weidt Museum, named after a German businessman who strongly opposed the Nazi regime and employed many Jews in his broom and brush factory to save them from deportation.
It’s an essential visit to better understand the horrors that the Jewish community endured during Adolf Hitler’s rule.
• Address: Rosenthaler Str. 39, 10178 Berlin. Nearest station: Hackescher Markt
Berlin’s New Synagogue
The New Synagogue of Berlin
The New Synagogue is one of the most important buildings to see in Berlin’s Jewish Quarter. Built from the remains of the old synagogue, it survived the WWII bombings and the 1938 “Night of Broken Glass,” a Nazi-led attack on Jewish property in Berlin.
• Address: Oranienburger Str. 28-30, 10117 Berlin. Nearest station: Oranienburger Straße
Anne Frank Center
For those wanting to learn more about Anne Frank—a Jewish girl, Holocaust victim, and famous diarist—this is an essential stop in Berlin’s Jewish Quarter.
You’ll find some original items she had during her time in “the Secret Annex,” photos, and an original copy of her diary.
• Address: Rosenthaler Str. 39, 10178 Berlin. Nearest station: Hackescher Markt
Hackescher Markt
The Lively Hackescher Markt at Night
What was once a swampy area was transformed into a plaza in the mid-18th century and soon became known as Hackescher Markt. Although it was heavily damaged during WWII, it later became a popular boulevard with restaurants, bars, and shops.
It’s a key spot in Berlin’s Jewish Quarter to hang out and head off to other parts of the city.
Rosenstraße
Rosenstraße was once home to the Old Synagogue, which was completely destroyed during WWII. Here, you’ll see the “Women’s Protest 1943” memorial, honoring the uprising of women who protested the deportation of nearly 2,000 Jewish men by the SS and Gestapo.
It is located less than a 10-minute walk from the central Alexanderplatz square.
• Address: Rosenstraße, 10178 Berlin. Nearest station: Alexanderplatz.
Old Jewish Cemetery
The old Jewish cemetery in Berlin
Since 1671, Jewish families were assigned a cemetery on Schönhauser Allee. However, in 1943, the Nazis looted and destroyed the gravestones, scattering the remains in different locations.
Today, you can visit the cemetery. Although there are no visible tombs, you’ll find a sculpture honoring the souls who rest there and informational panels about its history.
• Address: Schönhauser Allee 25, 10435 Berlin. Nearest station: Senefelderplatz
Dead Chicken Alley: An Artistic Alley in Berlin’s Jewish Quarter
Dead Chicken Alley
This alley in central Berlin is a sort of open-air museum filled with street art. Its walls are covered with graffiti, and you’ll see sculptures created by a group of young artists known as “the Dead Chickens.” The alley also has two museums and several Berlin-style bars.
• Address: Rosenthaler Str. 39, 10178 Berlin. Nearest station: Hackescher Markt
You can also explore Dead Chicken Alley in detail on the Authentic and Alternative Berlin Free Tour, an offbeat itinerary visiting sites not typically covered in traditional guides.