Westend’s legacy whispers on the wind. Picture this leafy haven on Berlin’s western edge. In 1866 entrepreneur Albert Werkmeister envisioned a luxurious villa colony. Inspired by London’s West End he sought to create a sanctuary for wealthy Berliners. Westend was to be a refuge from the city’s smog. The prevailing westerly winds carried pollution eastwards. Westend would breathe clean air. Kaiser Wilhelm I himself declared it so.
The ambitious plan faced early setbacks. The Austro-Prussian War delayed construction. A stock market crash further hampered progress. Less than half the planned plots were sold initially. The arrival of the railway station in 1877 offered new hope. The 1908 underground connection transformed Westend’s fortunes. It became a desirable residential area.
Famous painter Sabine Lepsius described her new home in 1900. She moved into a villa in Ahornallee 30. She described the setting sun above the pine trees a burning red. This perfectly illustrates Westend’s charm. Its proximity to the Grunewald forest provided a unique backdrop. The original plan featured 400 plots averaging 800 square meters each. Twelve tree-lined avenues formed a grid pattern.
After World War II Westend changed. Many villas were demolished. Plots were subdivided. The area’s character shifted. Yet Old Westend the avenues as it is known remains prestigious. Today it serves as a diplomatic quarter. Numerous embassies and consulates call it home. This gives Westend a truly international feel. The waterworks at Teufelssee still supply the area. It is the oldest operational waterworks in Berlin. These are just some of the facts that make Westend a captivating place.