Weissensee (Berlin)

Weißensee
Quarter of Berlin
The lake Weißer See

Coat of arms
Weißensee
Location of Weißensee in Pankow district and Berlin
Coordinates: 52°33′00″N 13°28′00″E / 52.55000°N 13.46667°E / 52.55000; 13.46667Coordinates: 52°33′00″N 13°28′00″E / 52.55000°N 13.46667°E / 52.55000; 13.46667
Country Germany
State Berlin
City Berlin
Borough Pankow
Founded 1313
Area
 • Total 7.93 km2 (3.06 sq mi)
Elevation 90 m (300 ft)
Population (2008-06-30)
 • Total 45,485
 • Density 5,700/km2 (15,000/sq mi)
Time zone CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2)
Postal codes (nr. 0302) 13086, 13088
Vehicle registration B

Weißensee is a locality in the borough of Pankow in Berlin, Germany, named for the small lake Weißer See (White Lake) within it. Before Berlin's 2001 administrative reform, Weißensee was a borough in its own right, consisting of the localities of Weißensee, Heinersdorf, Blankenburg, Karow and Stadtrandsiedlung Malchow.

History

Weißensee was first mentioned in 1313 as Wittense. The first settlers subsisted on fishing and established themselves on the eastern shore of the lake, where an old trade route connected Berlin with Szczecin (Stettin) and the Baltic Sea - today the Bundesstraße 2 federal highway.

As Berlin's least inhabited district, it has been overshadowed historically by its neighboring boroughs Prenzlauer Berg and Pankow. However its popularity is increasing due to its proximity to the hip but expensive Prenzlauer Berg. Its trams make reaching Mitte very convenient.

Overview

Weißensee is appreciated as a good choice for people seeking for a balance between urban life and seclusion in a peaceful district of Berlin. The immediate area around the lake Weißer See is characterized by its historical architecture, numerous places of interest, parks, lakes and activities. The art school Kunsthochschule Berlin-Weißensee is of national rank. The Radrennbahn Weißensee cycling track has also hosted popular music concerts. The largest concert ever held here was a Bruce Springsteen concert on July 19, 1988. Springsteen played before an estimated crowd of 300,000. At Weißensee Cemetery, one of Europe's largest Jewish cemeteries, notable people like the painter Lesser Ury and the publishers Samuel Fischer and Rudolf Mosse are buried.

References

    Media related to Weißensee at Wikimedia Commons

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