If you travel a little way out of Berlin, you can of course admire the beauty of nature in idyllic places – or trace the history of Germany in an exciting way and discover impressive lost places. From the “Forbidden City”, formerly known as “Little Moscow”, to an abandoned sanatorium where award-winning films such as “The Pianist” were shot – Brandenburg offers places that simply invite you to marvel and discover. But even for those who don’t want to leave the city, there is plenty to discover within Berlin – including a fascinating mountain that developed from an ordinary ski slope into an NSA listening station after the Second World War. Today, you can enjoy electronic beats in this historic landmark – and experience Berlin’s favorite genre at one of the city’s most extraordinary techno temples!
Function meets form
In Berlin’s Grunewald forest, a mountain rises up that impresses with its unusual architecture. White, dome-shaped radomes are reminiscent of giant golf balls. A multi-storey concrete tower and functional, simple outbuildings, some of which are made of prefabricated elements, complete the picture. This is Teufelsberg – a facility whose architecture was ideally suited for use as a listening station. The radomes were used to shield sensitive antenna and radio equipment. The technical heart of the station was located under the highest dome. The platforms were used both for assembly and as vantage points. The simple, functional construction of the other buildings reflects the pragmatic military style of the 1960s and 70s – function clearly took precedence over form.
From the NSA listening station to today’s techno-temple
The Teufelsberg, with its towering 120 meters above sea level, 80 meters of which are artificially heaped up, is a real multifunctional hotspot. From a relic of the Cold War, this cult location has been transformed into a venue for art installations and an open-air techno temple. The unusual architecture creates an atmosphere unlike any other in Berlin. While “beats in the subway” are still a dream of the future and the garden of the Hamburger Bahnhof attracts visitors with some cool techno nights in summer, there is no other place for techno quite like the Teufelsberg. In good weather, electronic sounds echo through dilapidated halls and you can experience the music in a very unique, almost ritualistic way.
At events such as the Beatgarten, the Sunset Sessions or other open airs, people dance where information from the Eastern Bloc was once intercepted. A fascinating mixture of nature, electronic music and lost-place charm attracts both scene connoisseurs and the curious. For around €12 admission, you don’t get a classic club experience, but a techno ritual in the open air – with a view of a city that not only loves techno, but lives it. In Berlin, where club admission is considered one of the toughest in the world and there are countless techno spots to choose from, Teufelsberg shows that not even a fire can stop this scene. One example is Wilde Renate, which has continued its program seamlessly after the recent fire.