The Graefekiez in the Kreuzberg district of Berlin is known by most people for its quiet cafés, pretty stores and authentic restaurants. In our follow-up article on the analysis of the Graefekiez, we go into detail about the development of purchase and rental prices, how the average prices for condominiums and houses in the Graefekiez have developed in recent years and what forecasts can be made.
Here we will look at what life is like in the Graefekiez. Which kindergartens do the youngest family members go to, are there secondary schools, how good is the medical care and what is the best way to get from Graefekiez to other parts of Berlin? These are some of the exciting questions that will be answered.
The infrastructure in the Graefekiez
The chic restaurants serving international cuisine, the small cafés and the elegant bars are just as much a part of the Graefekiez as the ornately decorated facades of the old buildings from the Wilhelminian era. If you are out and about in the Graefekiez in the Kreuzberg district, you will be delighted by the abundance of greenery and the many opportunities to go out with friends in the evening. It never gets boring in this neighborhood and at the same time it is so much quieter than the Bergmannkiez, for example.
The area was developed in the second half of the 19th century according to plans by Peter Joseph Lenné and is named after the Berlin ophthalmologist Albrecht von Graefe. The development of the neighborhood took place at the end of the 19th century and the beautiful old buildings were largely spared from the bombing raids during the Second World War. In addition to the large residential buildings, which are now more than a hundred years old, the Graefekiez is also home to social housing and other, less stately buildings.
Berlin is known for its family-friendly neighborhoods, so it’s no surprise that there are numerous kindergartens, schools and playgrounds in the Graefekiez. Doctors’ surgeries, offices, small stores and workshops – everyone has their place in the neighborhood. Because in the Graefekiez, residents don’t just go out in the evenings, they produce, work, manage and live. It is largely thanks to the commitment of the residents that this complex interplay works so well in the Graefekiez in Kreuzberg. There are many neighborhood flea markets, planted tree grates, traffic-calmed streets and other initiatives that make the neighborhood a quiet, inviting place.
Transport links
Overall, Berlin is a city that is extremely easy to get around by public transport. Whether by bus, subway or S-Bahn. Even though the metropolis covers a large area, you can reach your destination within a short time. In this way, you can also avoid the heavy traffic that takes over the German capital at peak times.
The U8 and U7 lines, among others, run through the Graefekiez. The central stations are Schönleinstraße and Südstern. If you choose public transport, you can be at Alexanderplatz in the center of Berlin in around 10 minutes. The Hermannplatz subway station is located in the immediate vicinity of Graefekiez and is used by visitors and residents alike. If you prefer to travel by bus, you can take the M41 bus line in Graefekiez. It stops at Hermannplatz, Jahnstraße and Graefestraße, among other places.
Important roads are Kottbusser Damm and Urbanstraße. They are used by drivers if they want to reach another part of Berlin quickly or even leave the capital. Overall, both the residents of the neighborhood and politicians are trying to slow down traffic in the Graefekiez. A temporary play street has therefore already been set up. In Böckhstraße, cars are replaced by children playing on Wednesday afternoons. Instead of exhaust fumes and engine noise, small children romp across the street, ride bobby cars and play tag. Although the initiative has its opponents, it is gratefully accepted by the families who live in the Graefekiez.
The traffic situation in Graefekiez
For a long time, traffic in the Graefekiez was characterized by people passing through who actually lived in other districts of Berlin but used the neighbourhood as a shortcut. Graefestraße is located between a total of three schools and is also closed to through traffic at Böckhstraße. The measure was initiated by local politicians and was initially met with great displeasure by some retailers. Smaller stores that benefited from the through traffic had to close. However, there are also winners, as the restaurant trade has flourished in the Graefekiez since the streets became a little quieter. Especially in the evenings, many people are drawn to the restaurants, cafés and bars that line Graefestraße. The store owners have turned away from the mainstream and now offer special goods for their customers. For example, there are stores selling decorative items, art and even liquorice specialties.
The red-green coalition has proposed a resolution that is supported by a majority of residents. According to the motion, a large number of streets in the Graefekiez are to be designated as play streets in future. Parking here will then only be permitted in one of the designated car-sharing parking spaces or if you have a disabled pass. This would make the northern part of the Graefekiez car-free to a limited extent. However, there are no specific dates for the implementation of the project yet.
The parking situation in the Graefekiez
At the end of June 2022, the politicians gave the green light for the project in the Graefekiez. From 2023, the parking spaces in the neighborhood will be removed and the experiment will initially run for six months. It is a measure that has not yet been implemented in this way in Berlin. Residents and visitors to the neighborhood can use the nearby parking garage on Hermannplatz. While the project is supported by a large proportion of residents, there are also opposing voices.
The demographic situation
The Graefekiez is part of the Kreuzberg district in Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg. Around 20,000 people have chosen the neighborhood as their home. Even though the neighborhood is small in size, the various residential areas differ greatly in their social and architectural structure. The wave of gentrification is currently sweeping the northern part of Graefestraße in particular. Most of the old apartments have been renovated, which has pushed up rents. In the southern part of Graefekiez, which stretches between Hasenheide and Urbanstraße, the less privileged social housing buildings predominate. The families are classified as predominantly low-income. Many of the former residents are forced to move away due to rising rents. Milieu protection is intended to counteract this development, but is not fully effective.
The neighborhood around Graefestrasse is very popular. Well-off young families, couples and single people are also drawn to the neighborhood. In Kreuzkölln, the northern part of Neukölln, the Reuterkiez is being developed. It attracts the creative scene from Graefekiez, which is why many artists have relocated in recent months.
Party shares
If you are thinking of buying a condominium or renting an apartment in the Graefekiez, you will certainly want to know which parties the residents vote for. The Graefekiez is part of Kreuzberg and therefore belongs to constituency 083, Berlin-Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg-Prenzlauer Berg Ost. Residents voted as follows in the 2021 Bundestag election:
The Greens took first place with 37.9%. Far behind in second place was the Left Party with 17.7%, closely followed by the SPD with 17.4%. The CDU came fourth with 7.6 percent, while the FDP came fifth with 5.3 percent. The AfD received 3.9% of the vote.
Schools and daycare centers
In recent years in particular, more and more young families with small children have moved to the Graefekiez. In the early years, they are looked after in one of the kindergartens. The Räuberhöhle, Sonnenblümchen and Knatterbande e.V. children’s stores are among the most popular. Information can be obtained from the Graefekiez education network. Here, parents can find educational opportunities for their children and get practical contact addresses.
The children and young people go to school at Lemgo Primary School, Graefekiez Secondary School or Albrecht von Gräfe School, for example.
New green spaces and playgrounds are constantly being added where children can let off steam. The concept of the play street is also gratefully accepted by the youngest residents of the Graefekiez.
Doctors and medical care
Klinikum Am Urban, also known colloquially as Urban-Krankenhaus, is part of the state-owned hospital operator Vivantes. It is the only hospital in Kreuzberg and has around 220 doctors and 360 nursing staff. Anyone who has an emergency or needs an appointment in one of the twelve specialist medical departments can be treated at Am Urban Hospital. Around 56,000 patients are treated here every year. The hospital is also an academic teaching hospital and part of the Charité – Universitätsmedizin in Berlin.
Shopping facilities
There are no large shopping centers or shopping miles in Graefekiez, but there are plenty of small stores that are furnished with great attention to detail. The prices are affordable and you can stroll along Graefestraße with an iced coffee in your hand. The stores are lined up in the old buildings and make the neighborhood something very special. When you are tired and your feet start to ache, you can stop off at one of the restaurants, which offer gastronomic delicacies from all over the world. The choice is huge and you have the opportunity to enjoy the dishes at your leisure. The Graefekiez offers the perfect conditions for a relaxed, varied stroll on a Saturday afternoon.
Residents of the neighborhood are happy to have supermarkets, small grocery stores and markets for daily shopping in the immediate vicinity.
Art, culture and going out
It is probably the mixture of a young pub culture, a diverse restaurant scene and beautiful old buildings that makes the Graefekiez so attractive. In recent years, young families, couples and single people have increasingly moved to the neighborhood, where life has reached new heights. In summer, residents meet on the street, sit together over a lemonade and discuss exciting topics that affect everyday life. The streets are lined with ancient trees, whose tree grates are colorfully planted by the residents. The facades of the old buildings, most of which date back to the Wilhelminian era, are magnificently decorated and well maintained. The cobblestones are reminiscent of times long past and exude a special Berlin charm. Thanks to the excellent transport links, you can quickly reach other districts of the capital. The Graefekiez offers everything that most people appreciate so much about city life. The bars invite you to sit together with friends until late in the evening, drink a good cocktail and philosophize about God and the world.
If you want to experience a bit of culture, you can’t miss the Graefekiez. The Admiralsbrücke is the oldest bridge with wrought-iron railings that has survived on the Landwehr Canal to this day. It was built in the 1880s and connects the Fraenkelufer with the Planufer. Street performers play music here on warm summer nights and you can sit comfortably on one of the benches.
The Christuskirche is located on the western corner of Zickenplatz. It belongs to the Evangelical Methodist Church and is also considered a building worth seeing by tourists. If you are interested in art, pay a visit to the Mamoo Gallery in Graefestraße.
Bars, cafés and restaurants
There is plenty of choice, as the entire Graefestraße is lined with numerous restaurants, pretty cafés and chic bars.
Restaurant Zitrone is an international restaurant in Dieffenbachstraße. The cuisine enchants with delicious dishes throughout the day and the place invites you to linger. Those who enjoy Asian food will feel right at home in the Vietnamese restaurant Via Hei Hai. Of course, the Chinese restaurant Tangs Kantine in Dieffenbachstraße is also a welcome alternative. Mini is an Italian restaurant in Urbanstraße. The pizza is fabulous and is enjoyed by residents and tourists alike. Finding tasty food in the Graefekiez is really very easy.
Fancy a slice of cake after a long tour of the neighborhood? Then Latodolce in Graefestraße or Schönes Café in Dieffenbachstraße are the right places to go. For warm days when the weather calls for ice cream, we recommend the Sweet Sins ice cream parlor on Dieffenbachstraße.
It’s getting dark and you’re looking for a good bar where you can get both beer and elegant cocktails? Then you can opt for the pubs Bei Schlawinchen, Fuchsbau or Schwelgerei in the Graefekiez district, for example.
Our tips for things to do and activities in Graefekiez
The Graefekiez is one of the few neighbourhoods in Berlin that manages to be cosmopolitan, colorful and cultivated at the same time. Here, people from the upper middle class rub shoulders with hipsters, artists and creative types.
At the weekends, the residents of the Graefekiez are drawn to the street. You can stroll for hours through pretty little stores, sample culinary delights from all over the world in the restaurants and then relax on the leafy Planufer.
Here you can find out what you absolutely must do when you are in the Graefekiez:
1st tip: Take a walk along the Planufer
In summer, the Graefekiez shows its best side. The old trees that line the cobbled streets show off their magnificent foliage. In the restaurants, you can watch the hustle and bustle on Graefestraße while enjoying delicious food and the swans show off their offspring on Planufer. But even in spring, fall or winter, the Planufer is an inviting place for a stroll. Even if Kreuzberg is not often perceived as a particularly romantic district, there is something enchanted about the path along the canal to the Vivantes hospital. If you let your gaze wander over the canal and the white swans, you forget for a moment that you are in the middle of the city. Here you can breathe in the fresh air and watch the birds, lost in thought.
Relax at the Urbanhafen
Whether you want to relax after a long day in the city or start the new day in a relaxed manner, the Urbanhafen is inviting at any time of day. The best way to do this is to wisely bring a blanket and a picnic basket. With fresh fruit, delicious baked goods and a cold beer, you can make yourself comfortable on the expansive lawns, watch the swans and gaze at the small clouds in the summer sky.
If you have a boat or can borrow one from a friend, you can use the Urbanhafen as a starting point for a paddle tour.
Experience the atmosphere on the Admiral Bridge
There is probably no other city in Germany where even a paved bridge has been turned into a local recreation area. When a hot summer’s day turns into evening, young and old gather on the Admiralsbrücke to enjoy the sunset. The sociable atmosphere is even more fun with a fruity ice cream or a cold beer from the bar next door.
From the bridge, you have a great view of the Graefekiez and the canal. That’s why we recommend this place especially for the morning or evening. If you start your tour of the neighborhood here, you can get a great overview. It’s worth a visit in the evening, because when the street musicians play their best tunes and people from all kinds of backgrounds come together on the Admiralsbrücke, you can soak up the authentic Berlin air.
Conclusion on living & investment potential in the Graefekiez in Kreuzberg
If you want to experience what life is like in one of Berlin’s most beautiful neighborhoods, you should definitely get to know the Graefekiez. It is popular with young families, artists, business people and creatives alike and brings together people from a wide variety of backgrounds. The north of the district is primarily made up of social housing, where low-income families live. The south is characterized by stately residential buildings, most of which were built in the Wilhelminian era and still exude the glamour of times long past.
The Graefekiez in Berlin stretches along Graefestraße, after which it was named. Life is colorful, varied and, thanks to the latest measures, partly car-free. Residents are happy to live in a central, authentic neighborhood in Berlin without having to do without good medical care or schools. The Graefekiez has everything the heart desires.
