Wilmersdorf

The Kurfuerstendamm passes through here on its way to Charlottenburg. The entertainment here is considerably tamer and family-friendly; the cafes and theatres have a conventional atmosphere and are good for a quiet night out. Wilmersdorf has primarily middle and upper class residences. The population is dense and multicultural; this locality has the oldest mosque in Berlin, as well as churches of different denominations (Evangelical, Roman Catholic, Russian Orthodox etc.).

The streets of Wilmersdorf are safe and low in crime. The presence of major roads as well as the Stadtring (Bundesautobahn 100) contributes to ease of access. Wilmersdorf has a decent reputation, even if the atmosphere is a bit bourgeoisie and run-of-the-mill. The people here belong to a cohesive community; they are pleasant enough to outsiders but won’t have much of substance to say.

## Locations

### **Kurfuerstendamm—Wilmersdorf**

The Kurfuerstendamm passes through here on its way to Charlottenburg. The entertainment here is considerably tamer and family-friendly; the cafes and theatres have a conventional atmosphere and are good for a quiet night out. The goods are cheaper and the clubs are not as “cool”. This here is generally known as the less prestigious end of the Kurfuerstendamm.

#### **Schaubuehne Theatre**

* Expression 2

A small theatre venue where one goes to see edgy plays with a side of Communism and politically-charged leftist commentary. The Schaubuehne put itself on the map with ‘The Mother’, a Bertolt Brecht play that angered Western politicians for its communist agitation. The dark background and minimalistic set puts all of the focus on the actors. The productions are usually limited in scale and acted out by a small cast.

### **Wilmersdorf**

Wilmersdorf has primarily middle and upper class residences. The population is dense and multicultural; this locality has the oldest mosque in Berlin, as well as churches of different denominations (Evangelical, Roman Catholic, Russian Orthodox etc.).

The streets of Wilmersdorf are safe and low in crime. The presence of major roads as well as the Stadtring (Bundesautobahn 100) contributes to ease of access. Wilmersdorf has a decent reputation, even if the atmosphere is a bit bourgeoisie and run-of-the-mill. The people here belong to a cohesive community; they are pleasant enough to outsiders but won’t have much of substance to say.

#### **Ahmadiyya Mosque**

This mosque was built between 1923 and 1925, by missionaries of the Ahmadiyya sect from Lahore, Pakistan. It is situated in a quiet corner of the suburb, opposite the Wilmersdorf cemetery.

The mosque has a large silver dome and twin minarets that had crumbled since the war. The outer walls are bright glimmering white in colour. Two layers of parapets wrap around underneath the dome. Smaller silver domes are raised up on pillars on the four corners of the mosque.

The mosque is open to the public for Friday prayers. Inside is a high ceiling and walls decorated with white trimmings and painted yellow and salmon pink. Numerous prayer rugs have been laid on the ground. The mosque has a collection of religious texts and scriptures available for perusal.

#### **Kirche am Hohenzollernplatz**

The church belongs to the Protestant Evangelical Wilmersdorf Congregation. The outer building is rectangular and constructed from clinker brick; the cylindrical cladding for the spiral staircases flank either side of the entrance. A semicircular flight of stairs leads to the ogival main portal. Behind the building is a tall, slim, columnar building that is the clock tower.

In the nave, the walls and ceiling are a continuous curve, meeting in an inverted “V” at the midpoint of the ceiling. This curving shape is supported by ferroconcrete girders that jut out from the walls like the ribs of some great, mechanical beast. The prayer hall is illuminated by coloured glass windows placed between the girders. Behind the altar is another stained glass window; its main colours of orange, green and blue reflect off the clinker bricks, turning the wall into an ethereal, glittering mosaic.

#### **U-Bahnhof Fehrbelliner Platz**

The entrance hall of Fehrbelliner Platz is another oddity that examplifies 70’s design. The building walls are bright vermillion, complemented by the green trimmings of the rooftop and windows. A green column sticking out from the structure bears the time and the U-Bahn sign. The building corners are all rounded to bulky, semi-circular shapes.

This station is an interchange between two U-Bahn lines. Within, curving red walls lead to a stairwell, from which the platforms can be accessed. The platform walls are lined with bright yellow tiles.