Wedding is the former working-class district of Berlin. One automatically associates this with gray and dreary tenements and with little greenery. But if you look closely, you will be surprised, because Wedding offers its residents beautiful parks, such as the Schillerpark, which are visited today not only by the Weddingern with pleasure.
Schillerpark in Wedding
Around 1903, the city administration decided to create a park for the population in the north of Berlin. A Magdeburg garden architect (Friedrich Bauer) was commissioned to implement his previously submitted plan. He designed a public green space that met the ideal ideas in the 20th century for the design of people’s parks.
The focus was on simple and functional design that would promote social interaction among the population. Large lawns were created that were intended for games, sports and picnics. In 1905, on the centenary of Friedrich Schiller’s death, it was decided that the newly created park would be called “Schillerpark” in the future. By 1913, Schiller Park was completed. Today the park is a registered garden monument.
The park area is just over 29 hectares in size, making it one of the three largest parks in Wedding. It is divided by Barfusstrasse into two areas, the Schülerwiese and the Bürgerwiese.
Bürgerwiese
The northwestern part in Schiller Park is called Bürgerwiese. This area is landscaped and you can take a nice walk here. A slope offers park visitors an ideal toboggan run in the winter. There is also a landscaped paddling pool in this park area that is especially popular with families.
Schülerwiese
The southeast in Schillerpark is characterized by the Schülerwiese, which is surrounded by an avenue of linden trees. There is always something going on on the large central meadow. Here people play soccer or Frisbee or relax in the sun.
At the edge of the meadow stands the park’s imposing three-tiered terrace complex, the Bastion. For a time, this also served as a political meeting and rally point. Today it is an attraction and meeting place for park visitors. Stairs lead to the first level with a rose garden surrounded by a wall. Towards the park, near a fortification, there are two small tower houses. A truly idyllic place that invites you to linger.
The second level of the complex is the Schiller Monument. The monument is a copy of the monument on the Gendarmenmarkt and was erected in Schiller Park in 1941. Schiller stood for the National Socialists as a symbol of daring and the dawn of a new era. The monument was intended to set an example in the resistant working-class district and among the students in the park. It was hoped to impress with the humanities. The material for the Schiller monument came from the Rathenau monument in the Volkspark Rehberge, which was melted down for it.
Schiller is depicted standing on a pedestal. Around him sit female figures symbolic of poetry, drama, philosophy and cultural and intellectual history. Today the monument is very popular not only among children. Actually, someone always sits here and relaxes or children climb on the monument.
On the top level of the terrace complex there is a planted chestnut grove, which offers its visitors a shady place to relax. A children’s playground attracts especially families.
Another monument that used to stand in Schiller Park was the wrestling monument that now stands at the “Catcherwiese” in Volkspark Rehberge.
Schäfersee
Not far from Schillerpark is Schäfersee, which is surrounded by a small park. Almost circular and a good 7 meters deep, the lake in the Reinickendorf district got its name from a sheep farm located there in the 18th century.
A walk around the lake is beautiful. The paths in the green area have been redesigned in recent years. In addition, there are numerous recreational and leisure facilities, such as a miniature golf course, a playground and a café. I especially liked the nature trail. Here, the “Trees of the Year” such as sycamore maple, walnut, black poplar, service tree, sessile oak and black alder are presented.
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