Anyone strolling through the streets of Lichterfelde-West might find themselves rubbing their eyes in disbelief. Amid well-maintained Wilhelminian-style villas, turrets, battlements, bay windows, and steep roofs suddenly appear—almost as if someone had opened a fairy tale book. These are the Lilienthal castles.
(Also: If you’re into the mix of Berlin and the Middle Ages, you should definitely join this spooky walking tour with live actors. A blast for history buffs and horror fans!)
Gustav Lilienthal and the Castle Settlement in Lichterfelde
The architect behind the castles is Gustav Lilienthal (1849–1933). Together with his older brother Otto, he went down in history as an aviation pioneer. Gustav, on the other hand, was interested in life on the ground. Together with Otto, he had once invented the Anker stone building set, a toy that inspired entire generations of children to build. This playful way of thinking also shaped his architecture.
Starting in the 1890s, Lilienthal built 31 residential buildings in Lichterfelde. They were intended to be the opposite of Berlin’s cramped, dark tenement blocks. Instead of uniform facades, he emphasized individuality: Each house is one-of-a-kind, featuring towers, bay windows, half-timbering, natural stone bases, and roofs in a variety of shapes.
A walk full of surprises
The castles are scattered throughout the residential neighborhood around Marthastraße, Paulinenstraße, and Tietzenweg. This makes them a great destination for a walk. The houses are privately owned, so you can only view them from the street. Many are listed historic buildings.
In Lichterfelde, imagination shines through; in Tegel, character prevails
Lilienthal was a supporter of land reform and considered land speculation to be a root cause of the housing shortage. He was able to put this conviction into practice at the “Freie Scholle” cooperative housing development in Berlin-Tegel. There, he designed simple row houses and townhouses with gardens for people who otherwise would not have been able to afford their own homes. Later, the airport there would be named after his brother…
How to Get There and Tips on the Lilienthal Castles
The best way to get there is to take the S1 to Lichterfelde West and start walking from there. The route can easily be combined with a detour to the Otto Lilienthal monument on the Fliegeberg. That way, you’ll encounter both brothers—the sky-conqueror and the master builder—in a single day.
The Lilienthal castles show that Berlin isn’t just made up of Wilhelminian-style facades and prefab buildings. If you look closely, you’ll discover an architect who built houses with imagination and character.
