Niederschönhausen is part of the district of Pankow and is located in the north of Berlin. In the GDR era, major political figures lived here. Parts of Niederschönhausen were part of the restricted area between East and West Berlin. Where the Wall once stood, green spaces now stretch through the district, some of which are still undeveloped. In this article, we will introduce you to the district with all its advantages and take a closer look at infrastructure, demographics and other interesting topics that could influence a real estate investment in this area.
You can also find more information on the entire district of Pankow in our article on buying real estate in Berlin-Pankow: condominiums & houses, in which we take a closer look at price trends in the district and a lot of interesting facts.
Things to know about Niederschönhausen
Niederschönhausen is a district that is currently undergoing strong development. Rents are low compared to districts such as Friedrichshain, Prenzlauer Berg or Mitte, making it a very popular place to live.
Large villas and ancient trees line the quiet streets. Find out here what life is like in Niederschönhausen, which parties the residents vote for, how many schools there are and which sights you can visit at the weekend.
The magnificent villas in the Niederschönhausen district are by no means all that this beautiful district in the north of Berlin has to offer. In the 18th century, Queen Elisabeth Christine left her mark on the region. She lived in Schönhausen Palace and established a mulberry plantation in addition to the palace gardens.
After the Second World War, the Niederschönhausen district of Berlin played an important role. Important GDR politicians moved into the stately villas around the Majakowskiring. The residential area was closed to normal society and was only reopened in the 1970s when the GDR functionaries moved to the Waldsiedlung near Wandlitz. Since then, the district has changed considerably.
The infrastructure of Niederschönhausen
If you want to rent or buy a property in a district, you are not only interested in the quality of the property but also in the surrounding area. What is the location of the condominium, how good are the transport links, are there enough doctors and how many educational facilities are available for children? These are some of the important questions that need to be clarified in advance.
The demographic situation in Niederschönhausen
The district of Pankow consists of the districts of Weißensee, Prenzlauer Berg and Pankow, which in turn are made up of different neighborhoods. One of Pankow’s districts is Niederschönhausen. With a population of around 32,350, Niederschönhausen is the second largest district in Pankow.
People in the age group between 18 and 45 make up around 32% of residents, with 10,336 people. The age group between 45 and 65 is represented by 9,515 people, which equates to a share of just over 29 percent. Children are most strongly represented in the age group between six and 15.
If you analyze the age groups of the people in Niederschönhausen, you will notice a great balance. In other districts, it is mainly young families or pensioners who live here, but in Niederschönhausen no general statement can be made.
18.71 percent of people living in Niederschönhausen have a migration background and 11.32 percent are foreigners. 52.59 percent of the inhabitants of this district are female, 47.41 percent male.
Schools and kindergartens
Niederschönhausen is a child-friendly district. There are many green spaces and playgrounds in Berlin Niederschönhausen, the residential streets are very quiet for Berlin and the nature reserve is used as an excursion destination. If you live in Niederschönhausen, you will find good educational facilities for your children. In addition, the neighboring districts of Pankow, Französisch Buchholz, Rosenthal and Wilhelmsruh also have good kindergartens and schools.
Niederschönhausen in Berlin has a total of 34 kindergartens and daycare centers. The kindergartens tend to be small and informal. This is usually an advantage for parents, as they can establish close contact with the facility where their children spend a large part of the day.
When the children reach primary school age, they attend one of the four elementary school in the Niederschönhausen district of Berlin. The Konrad-Duden-Schule is an integrated secondary school. The youngsters can then complete their Abitur at one of the cooperating schools. The Max-Delbrück-Gymnasium is located in Kuckhoffstraße and offers more than 950 pupils the opportunity to attend grammar school.
Transport links
Niederschönhausen is a quiet residential area with hardly any major roads. Without question, the B96a is the most important road in the district, on which Niederschönhausen can be crossed from north to south.
The M1 crosses Niederschönhausen from north to south and stops at several important locations in the district.
The Schönholz S-Bahn station in Niederschönhausen is served by S-Bahn lines S1, S25 and S26. From here you can reach the Pinke-Panke children’s farm, the Bürgerpark Pankow and the Volkspark Schönholzer Heide. Niederschönhausen can also be easily reached from the Wollankstraße S-Bahn station in the Pankow district. The station is served by the S-Bahn lines S1, S25 and S26. Buses 250, 255 and M27 also stop here.
Bus route 150 connects the Niederschönhausen district with important S-Bahn lines, which take you to the center of Berlin in a short time.
The parking situation in Niederschönhausen
In Niederschönhausen, it is primarily the residents of condominiums and houses who park their cars. As the district is located outside the center of Berlin and has hardly any tourist attractions, traffic is moderate. However, this does not mean that it is easy to find a parking space for your private vehicle every day. Parking spaces are scarce throughout Berlin, and Niederschönhausen is no exception in this respect. However, the traffic situation is perceived differently by residents than in districts such as Berlin-Mitte, Friedrichshain or Charlottenburg.
Party shares
The Niederschönhausen district is part of the Pankow district. Representative figures are therefore available for the entire constituency, which can be used as a basis for analyzing the party shares in the Niederschönhausen district. In the 2021 elections to the district council, voter turnout was 75.5%, slightly above the average for Berlin as a whole. The Greens were elected in first place, with a share of 24.7%. The Left Party took second place with 19.4% and the SPD came third with 17.1%. The CDU and AfD took fourth and fifth place.
Doctors, clinics and hospitals
Medical care is extremely important for a district. People who live in Niederschönhausen, for example, do not want to have to travel long distances to get to their doctor’s appointment. For emergencies, there is the Pankow Day Clinic at Schlossallee 3. The Vivantes MVZ outpatient shoulder center is located in Dietzgenstraße.
In addition to the clinics already mentioned, there are also numerous medical practices. Whether it’s a GP, gynecologist, dermatologist, osteopath or psychotherapist, you can easily make an appointment in Berlin Niederschönhausen.
Culture and gastronomy in Niederschönhausen
Niederschönhausen is one of the few places in Pankow that has its own cinema. The Blauer Stern primarily shows European and German indie films.
Most of the restaurants are located along the B96a. Here, for example, you can stop off at Athos, a Greek restaurant in Berlin Niederschönhausen. In addition to internationally renowned dishes, the menu also includes original Greek home cooking. Golden Asia is an Asian restaurant in Niederschönhausen in Berlin that primarily serves Chinese delicacies. The Gartenküche restaurant is a real insider tip. The inconspicuous restaurant is located in the middle of Schönholzer Heide and is known far beyond Niederschönhausen for its fine food. In addition to the restaurant and café, Berliners really appreciate the opportunity to organize corporate events here.
Shopping in Niederschönhausen
There are no huge department stores in Berlin Niederschönhausen. If you want to store on a grand scale, you can head for neighboring districts. What Niederschönhausen offers its residents are selected stores and small stores that are lovingly furnished. The shopping facilities, which consist of shoe stores, drugstores, supermarkets and clothing stores, are mainly located along Dietzgenstraße.
Thanks to the good transport connections, you can easily reach the large department stores in the center of Berlin by public transport.
Sights and green spaces in Niederschönhausen
Anyone strolling through the streets of the Niederschönhausen district of Pankow will be surprised by the abundance of greenery. The streets with their pretty residential and apartment buildings are lined with old trees. There are also numerous green spaces, the Schlosspark and the Volkspark Schönholzer Heide. Niederschönhausen is ideal for nature lovers and people looking for a quiet residential area in Berlin.
Schönhausen Palace and Palace Park
Schönhausen Castle Park covers an area of 30.1 hectares and offers visitors numerous benches and green spaces to linger. At the weekend, Niederschönhausen residents come here to have a picnic on the lawn. The park with its winding paths is ideal for sports enthusiasts.
Schönhausen Palace is an emblematic building. The building was constructed in the 17th century by Countess Sophie Theodore zu Dohna-Schlobitten. The lands were later acquired by King Frederick II. He gave them to his wife, Queen Elisabeth Christine. Both preferred to live separately, which is why Schönhausen became the queen’s realm. She laid out various gardens and even a mulberry plantation.
Schönhausen Palace was renovated in the early 2000s and opened in December 2009. The rooms were extensively renovated and decorated with original furniture and mirrors. The exhibition is dedicated to the life of the Prussian queen and allows visitors to immerse themselves in times long past.
A highlight for cyclists is the Berlin-Usedom long-distance cycle route, which starts at Schlossplatz in Berlin-Mitte and leads through Schönhausen Palace Park to Usedom.
The palace in Berlin Niederschönhausen is one of the city’s most important landmarks and is loved by tourists and residents alike.
Schönholzer Heide public park
Today, hardly anything in Schönholzer Heide reminds us of the magnificent manor house that was built here around 200 years ago. Old postcards and paintings show the ballroom of Schönholz Castle, which housed the girls’ secondary school in the second half of the 19th century. The castle fell victim to the flames around 1900. After a long search, the foundations of the former property were found.
Today, the Volkspark Schönholzer Heide is a largely natural park. Its importance as a local recreation area has steadily increased since the fall of the Berlin Wall. There is a soccer pitch, an adventure playground and several sunbathing lawns.
Athletes feel just as at home here as people who want to breathe in some fresh air at the weekend and treat themselves to a relaxing break.
The Brosepark
Brosepark covers an area of around four hectares, making it one of the smaller parks in Berlin. It was named after the Pankow banker Christian Wilhelm Brose, who once owned the property. In 1920, the municipality of Niederschönhausen bought the land and the former house from the Brose family.
Unfortunately, the buildings were badly damaged during the Second World War and had to be demolished over time. Brosepark was reconstructed in the mid to late 1980s and today serves as a refuge for the residents of Niederschönhausen. The park can be reached on foot from Schönhausen Palace. It is definitely worth a visit if you are interested in the Niederschönhausen district.
Conclusion - real estate investment with good potential
The Niederschönhausen district in the Pankow borough of Berlin is a quiet residential area. In addition to pretty villas, the district is mainly characterized by apartment buildings. The houses are in good condition as they have been completely renovated over the years. In recent years, more and more young families with children have moved to Niederschönhausen. The streets are quiet and there are numerous kindergartens, elementary school and playgrounds. The leisure facilities are also family-friendly and varied.
The region is in demand, although prices are not yet as high as in other districts of Berlin. Niederschönhausen’s potential is undeniable and the properties are easy to sell or rent. An investment is worthwhile. Rents have risen steadily in recent years and there is no reason for this trend to stop. Living space is becoming increasingly scarce in the center of Berlin, which is why people are looking for suitable condominiums or single-family homes in the outlying areas.
