Windmühlenberg

Hidden beneath the bustling city, Windmühlenberg whispers stories of a bygone era. Windmühlenberg, once a prominent landmark, shaped the very identity of Prenzlauer Berg. Originally, “Wein- oder Mühlenberge” referred to the entire southern edge of the Barnim elevation. Later, “Windmühlenberg” specifically denoted the hill where the Royal Windmills stood from the mid-18th century. This hill became the starting point for the settlement and development of the area that eventually became the Prenzlauer Berg district. Windmühlenberg and Prenzlauer Berg were, in fact, the same location. In the early 18th century, Windmühlenberg became a significant pre-industrial economic hub. It housed a center for the milling industry, gastronomy, and water supply. Under King Frederick II, the hill saw its greatest concentration of windmills. By 1770, eight windmills graced Windmühlenberg: four post mills and four smock mills. Seven were Royal Windmills, managed by the Royal Office Mühlenhof, while one was privately built and operated since 1748. A narrow cobblestone path, “Mühlenweg,” led up to the windmills, where Straßburger Straße now runs. The Gewerbefreiheit Edict of 1810 brought increased competition. After renovations in 1821, the Royal Mills were sold in 1826. The old farmland was transformed into building land. By 1847, a mill owner introduced the first steam engine to the hill. The mills, though sold and operated for a while, eventually declined. Unused windmills burned down one after another, the last two in 1872. Yet, the name Windmühlenberg not only persisted but expanded its meaning. By the late 19th century, the entire area south of the Ringbahnhof Prenzlauer Allee was called Windmühlenberg. The area of the Barnim plateau up to the Ringbahn was known as Prenzlauer Berg. As the milling industry waned, new businesses emerged: gastronomy, a waterworks, and breweries. Theodor Würst bought land and a Bescheiderhaus in 1835, creating a popular Berlin destination, “Würst’s Bürger-Tabagie,” amid the still-operating windmills. In 1856, the Berlin-Waterworks-Company started operating facilities on Windmühlenberg, part of Berlin’s oldest waterworks. A standpipe tower, visible from afar, was also built. The waterworks became city property in 1873. A new water tower was constructed between 1875 and 1877 to address water supply issues in the higher areas of Prenzlauer Berg. Julius Albert Bötzow established a brewery depot on Windmühlenberg in 1864, transforming the area into “Bötzow-Berg.” He added a brewery pub that year, which his heirs expanded into a large garden pub. Eventually, the entire brewery moved to Prenzlauer Allee.