Recall a time when villages centered around a communal green space. That time is still alive at Dorfanger Alt-Reinickendorf. This well-preserved core of a former village offers a pocket of tranquility. It is enclosed by busy streets in Berlin.
Alt-Reinickendorf is the historic village green. It provides a glimpse into the past. Some older farmhouses and detached houses surround the green. There are also four and two-story apartment buildings. North of it lies the Reinickendorf industrial area.
Finding Alt-Reinickendorf is not so easy. This is because it is hidden in today’s maze of streets. The old Berlin suburb is an island of calm. It is surrounded by busy main roads and the S-Bahn. To the east are Residenzstraße and Kopenhagener Straße. To the south is Lindauer Allee. To the west is Roedernallee. The S-Bahn S25 runs north.
Despite war damage and overbuilding, the village layout survives. It has been partly restored. The old picturesque church testifies to the village’s past. Not even 200 people lived here in the early 19th century. The village church was built around the end of the 15th century.
Typical of the late medieval building are its fieldstone outer walls. The walls have partly pointed and partly arched windows. The church was built as a small plastered hall. It features a semicircular chancel that is unique in Berlin. A square baroque tower was added to the west front in 1713.
Inside, a winged altar from the 16th century displays passion scenes. These scenes are based on woodcuts by Albrecht Dürer. Three rusty iron crosses in front of the village church mark the old village cemetery.
A tour of Alt-Reinickendorf provides a sense of the village in the 19th century. Many older village buildings are now listed buildings. These include the Ribbe Büdnerhaus built in 1826. The residential building at number 36/37 was built in 1887. The stable buildings and the barn predate 1878.
Next to the residential building at number 38 is the old town hall. It was completed in 1885 as a two-story brick building. In 1896/97, it was expanded by one story. It served as the office of the municipal head and administrative center. This lasted until Reinickendorf was incorporated into Berlin. This lasted until the Reinickendorf administrative district was formed in 1920.
A plaque at number 45 commemorates Dr. Max Julius Hodann. He was a physician and sex educator. He worked here from 1922 to 1933. Hodann founded Berlin’s first mother-advice center.
Today, Alt-Reinickendorf’s village green is a mix of buildings. These buildings come from different eras and architectural styles. Four-story apartment buildings stand alongside two-story apartments. On the north side of the village green, there are small housing estates. There are also technical and church buildings.
The original village buildings have almost completely disappeared in the northern part. Smaller industrial and commercial enterprises have settled here. During the Second World War, the Prometheus GmbH produced armaments. North of the historical village ensemble extends the Reinickendorf industrial area. It is connected to Alt-Reinickendorf by the Stegeweg.
West of Alt-Reinickendorf is the Kienhorstpark. It was created in 1931/32 with a swan pond. Today, it is considered a protected green space. The Residenzstraße connects Reinickendorf to Berlin’s center. It is now one of Reinickendorf’s most important shopping streets.