Tempelhof-Schöneberg

Centre of the gay scene alongside quiet suburbia
Noteworthy for: Rathaus Schöneberg was the seat of the West Berlin government between 1961-1989, and the location of President John F. Kennedy's famous "Ich bin ein Berliner" speech in 1961, where a large memorial plaque is dedicated to him.

Talk of the town: David Bowie and Iggy Pop once lived together at Hauptstrasse 155 in Schöneberg.
Always forward-thinking, by the 1920s Schöneberg was already home to over 40 gay bars, and was one of the few places where homosexuality was not just accepted, but fashionable and thriving with a supportive community network. During the Third Reich, however, it was brutally outlawed with many residents here taken to concentration camps; a plaque at the main intersection of Nollendorfplatz now commemorates this.

Today however, it has returned to its status as a Mecca for the gay community with a rocking nightlife and a sleuth of great clubs and bars, as well as a pretty residential neighbourhood popular with families. Head to the buzzing organic Winterfeldmarkt (Wed: 8am - 1pm,Sat: 8am - 3.30pm); a Berlin institution.

In contrast, Tempelhof – which merged with Schöneberg in 2001 – is typical quiet suburbia with a large industrial area of working life Berlin. The only sight of interest being the former Tempelhof Airport; the gigantic building left in a state of eerie abandonment.