The historic path

Tour the city at your own pace

A stroll through the Nikolai Quarter, historic details and personalities

Starting with the sun in the east, we follow the path of historical plaques. Opposite the Rotes Rathaus the path begins with plaque 1 – modern houses in modular design, home to nearly 2000 people in the district. On the ground floor there are small shops that give the entire area it’s special atmosphere. Here, every business owner is an individualist and all the jewelry, watches, shoes or fashion reflect a special character. Our eyes are now on a small house with a restaurant and an unique name.

Thanks to plaque 3, attached to the house, we learn more about the history of the building and the restaurant named “Zum Nußbaum”. The rustic interior and cozy atmosphere has inspired Heinrich Zille and so there are still some of Zille’s pictures hanging on the walls. Homemade Berlin cuisine is the hallmark and in summer you can relax outdoors, under the American black walnut tree in the beer garden.

Ahead of us is Nikolai Church and we walk to the left, around this historic building. The houses we pass are home to small shops and stylish cafes.

In Table 5 we learn the amusing story of the “Paddenwirt” restaurant and enter the Eiergasse, the shortest street in Berlin. It is not longer than the restaurant building itself. Houses have been built following traditional designs and very close to the church. At the street’s narrowest point, we find Lessing House. Next door, a sign is attracting visitors to a theater. “Theater at the Nikolai Quarter” offers a journey back in time and is always worth a visit.

The gap site between “Kunsthaus Lempertz” and “Kaffeestube” gives a clear view of the green area in front of the Ephraim-Palais. To the left, we find a restaurant named “Zur Rippe”. Plaque 8 tells the story of the interesting bones that gave the restaurant its name. Golden balcony railings adorn the Ephraim-Palais, the most beautiful corner of the city. The City Museum Foundation hosts museum treasures here and the building is also used for temporary exhibitions. Also take a look around the “Knoblauchhaus” museum to explore the Biedermeier period.

The Historic Path is provided by Wohnungsgesellschaft Berlin-Mitte as a tribute to the birthplace of Berlin.

Feel free to download the full text of the 19 historic plaques as a PDF document.