Hardly any other city has such a convoluted and complicated history as Berlin – so it’s no wonder that there are several lost places here that are said to be haunted and spooky. We’ve followed the rumors and compiled some of the city’s scariest but also most exciting stories!
Berlin’s “zombie hospital”
The former Weißensee children’s hospital is now one of the creepiest places in Berlin. The dilapidated buildings, smashed windows and gloomy silence give the once progressive hospital a spooky atmosphere. Due to numerous legends about ghostly apparitions, it has long been known as the “zombie hospital” and is a popular destination for urban explorers. Although it is forbidden and dangerous to enter, the place attracts curious visitors who want to experience the morbid charm of this lost place up close. You can find the full story of this lost place here!
The ghost train
The Siemensbahn in Berlin has been disused for 45 years – an abandoned elevated railway line that now looks like a relic from another era. Between overgrown tracks, rusty bridges and crumbling stations, there is an eerie silence that has earned the place its nickname as the “ghost train”. Where trains once ran every five minutes and thousands commuted, only the echo of days gone by can now be felt. Despite its decay, the heritage-protected line exerts an eerie fascination on urban explorers and the curious who venture into the abandoned world of steel and shadows. But beware – access is dangerous, and the crumbling remains are a reminder that this lost place is best viewed from a safe distance. Curious now? Then read on here!
Haunted monastery
The former Franciscan monastery in Mitte is one of the most haunted places in the capital and also one of the oldest buildings in the city. The monastery was founded around 1249, making it older than only the neighboring Nikolai quarter!
Today, only a few walls remain of the once proud sacred building. According to legend, they have been haunted by the monk Roderich for centuries. He was once part of the Franciscan order living here and was considered a cruel man. He is said to have had his son walled up in the cellar of the monastery and ordered the death of two Knights Templar. Since then, it is said, the wailing of the cruel monk can be heard at night from the depths of the monastery cellar. You can read the whole story here.
Dark alchemy
Peacock Island is actually known as an enchanting natural paradise and looks back on a rich history that is also linked to an enigmatic alchemist. He lived here in the 17th century and experimented with fire, glass and elixirs. However, dark clouds of smoke and acrid smells quickly gave rise to suspicions of black magic and after a devastating fire, the alchemist’s laboratory burned down completely. His spirit, however, is said to still move as a shadow over the otherwise idyllic island.
Haunted Tegel Castle
The iconic white towers of the historic palace are known throughout Berlin – and apparently home to a poltergeist! This was first reported at the end of the 17th century. It manifested itself through loud whip cracks out of nowhere, glowing stones thrown at residents and tongues of flame that suddenly flared up in the halls of the castle. After its long reign of terror, the poltergeist is said to have suddenly disappeared. Others claim that the ghost can still occasionally be seen as a fiery figure at the gates of the castle grounds. Definitely a case for the Ghostbusters!
Restless ghosts in Grunewald forest
With its dense vegetation and shady paths, the Grunewald forest is by nature a spooky relic of Berlin’s former primeval swamp. Hidden in its depths lies a rather small and decidedly idyllic cemetery, popularly known as the suicide cemetery or the cemetery of the nameless. These very ominous names are due to the fact that a large number of bodies from the neighboring Havel were buried here. At that time, “mortal sinners” were denied burial in Christian cemeteries, which is why an independent resting place was created here. However, many souls are said not to find peace here and haunt the cemetery grounds in the dark. There are regular reports of strange noises and shadowy apparitions haunting the area. Most recently, a local resident reported seeing a dark figure rising like smoke from the depths of the Havel in the summer of 2010… Mysterious!
Haunted Köpenick Castle
With its baroque façades, the beautiful palace in the deep south-east of the capital appears as if no water can cloud it. However, the former palace of the Hohenzollern nobility is connected to a hair-raising story. It is said that a young noblewoman once lived here and fell in love with a commoner. However, their romance did not remain undiscovered for long and was brutally punished: while he was hanged, she is said to have been walled up in the palace dungeon. It is said that the souls of unhappy lovers have haunted the grounds since time immemorial. Together with a black dog with glowing eyes that is often spotted on the bridge. However, it is not known exactly how he got lost here…
Berlin’s spookiest: The Beelitz sanatoriums
Ok, ok: Everything so far has been pretty spooky. But the former sanatoriums in Beelitz outshine all other creepy places by far! Its history dates back to the late 19th century, when it was founded as a tuberculosis clinic outside Berlin. During the First and Second World Wars, however, the sanatorium was converted into a military hospital and treated, among others, the then unknown soldier Adolf Hitler. If that’s not creepy enough for you, just take a look at the dilapidated buildings, which exude an enormously eerie presence. Despite this, the building enjoys great popularity as a lost place among urban explorers, who gained access here for a long time. Since 2015, it is no longer necessary to break into the grounds to catch a glimpse. Since then, there has been a treetop path that leads you through the treetops of the forest around the building, giving you a great view.