Beyond the modern city, lies Vorwerk Falkenberg. This place is a testament to time. Today we will explore Vorwerk Falkenberg.
Let us step back to the late 19th century. Vorwerk Falkenberg appeared on maps just north of a modest elevation. That elevation is now known as Falkenberg. It is sometimes called Buntzelberg.
Vorwerk Falkenberg is linked to a man named Max Buntzel. He was a horticultural director. Buntzel acquired land on the Falkenberg. He established a large fruit orchard. He also erected a mansion. It was referred to as Buntzelschlösschen. But Buntzel had to sell the area after a few years.
Since 2010 the Neue Gartenstadt Falkenberg has been built on the west side of the hill. It primarily features privately owned apartments. The street Am Falkenberg connects Altglienicke with Bohnsdorf and Grünau. It is named after the Falkenberg hill.
Today, Falkenberg is part of Berlin’s Lichtenberg district. It was first documented in 1370. It is surrounded by fields that once served as the city’s sewage farms. Two places share the name Falkenberg within Berlin. The other one is a garden city also called Falkenberg. It is located in Bohnsdorf.
Marie-Elisabeth von Humboldt acquired Falkenberg in 1791. She was the mother of Wilhelm and Alexander von Humboldt. In 1795 Marie-Elisabeth had the old village church rebuilt. Paul Ludwig Simon remodeled it in the Neoclassical style. He added an Egyptian-style stone tower. Marie-Elisabeth was buried there after her death in 1796.
In 1875, Berlin acquired the former manor for sewage farms. In 1979, Falkenberg ceded more than half of its area. It went to the new district of Marzahn. The village of Falkenberg was largely unaffected.
In 2001, Falkenberg became part of the Lichtenberg district.
Vorwerk Falkenberg’s surroundings offer natural attractions. The Falkenberger Rieselfelder nature reserve is located on the northern outskirts. This is where vegetables once grew. Now special cattle and horse breeds maintain the area.
The baroque Falkenberg Manor Park has been reconstructed. It features a small pond, rhododendrons and old maple trees.
The old village center still contains historical elements. You can see old farm workers’ houses. There is also the only remaining clay cottage in the entire city.
Today Vorwerk Falkenberg stands as a connection to the past. It reminds us of Berlin’s evolving story. It includes agriculture and urban development. It is a unique landmark within the city.