Gorli: A Brief History of Berlin's Vanished Station

Birds eye view of Görlitzer Park in Berlin-Kreuzberg
Bird's eye view of Görlitzer Park in Berlin-Kreuzberg | © Boris Niehaus / WikiCommons
Megan King

Gorli Park is a beloved gathering point for Kreuzberg’s most colourful characters. But if you look closer at a small section of the park, you’ll find a closed tunnel pointing to the former life of one of Berlin’s most iconic outdoor spots. Here’s everything you need to know about when Gorli used to be a Bahnof station.

Today, Gorli Park is a favourite spot for sunsets, and unofficial reveries in the summertime as people bring sound systems and beers. Its history, though, brings a whole new element to the equation.

Image taken from the painting ‘Empfangsgebäude des Görlitzer Bahnhofes in Berlin’, from Zeitschrift für Bauwesen, Verlag v. Ernst & Korn in Berlin, 1872

One of the sections of the park is shaped a bit like a bowl, and in that bowl are ruins of grey concrete and a closed-up tunnel that seems to lead up to nowhere – pointing to the time when Gorli used to be a Bahnhof station.

Görlitzer Park with uncovered and partly torn-off old pedestrian underpass of former railway station Görlitzer Bahnhof

Görlitzer Bahnhof was built by Bethel Henry Strousberg, who was known as the ‘Railway King’ back in 1866, and the original Görlitzer began its heyday as the northern terminus of the Berlin-Görlitz line. The station was designed by August Orth, a famous Berlin architect at the time, and its red brick stone facade was covered with more beautiful yellow Birkenwerder bricks, making it truly an elegant structure.

The last railway track in 1987

For years the Bahnhof was the star of private railway line, with grand plans that even included having the line connect to Vienna. The onset of World War II stopped those plans right in their tracks, not because it was destroyed, but because the site had been marked to build new tenements after the war, and so the buildings were down town.

The remaining office building of the old Bahnhof station

Those plans never really took off, and eventually in 1994, the land was converted into the beloved public park it is today. Just a small part of the station’s former life remains, including the administration building which is now home to the popular jazz bar and café, Das Edelweiss, and much of the brick wall which runs along Görlitzer Straße, which also got its name from the former Berliner icon.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.

Culture Trip Spring Sale

Save up to $1,100 on our unique small-group trips! Limited spots.

X
Edit article