Waiting for the train is not usually a particularly eventful experience. You stand around, listen to music, talk on the phone, or simply wait for the next train to arrive. But one Berlin subway station ensures that boredom is guaranteed not to set in. The Klosterstraße subway station opened on July 1, 1913, and is now part of the U2 line. The station was designed by Swedish architect Alfred Grenander, who played a key role in shaping the appearance of numerous historic Berlin subway stations. But Klosterstraße is far more than just an ordinary stop: it also serves as a small, free exhibition on the history of Berlin’s public transportation, with plenty to discover between the platforms and tracks.
The station was built as part of the downtown line between Potsdamer Platz and Alexanderplatz, constructed between 1906 and 1913, and is today considered one of the best-preserved stations from that era. The Klosterstraße subway station has been a designated historic landmark since 1975. However, much of its current extraordinary design was not created until the GDR era. Between 1984 and 1986, the station underwent extensive restoration in the run-up to Berlin’s 750th anniversary. Among other things, remaining war damage was repaired. At the same time, the idea arose to transform the station into a “hands-on museum” dedicated to the history of Berlin’s public transit system .
A special feature is the station’s former advertising spaces. During its restoration in the 1980s, it was decided to use these spaces for a historical exhibition. Since 1986 , a total of 22 enamel panels—manufactured by Schilderwerk Beutha—have been on display here. The panels depict various historical modes of transportation, illustrating the development of Berlin’s public transit system. Anyone waiting for the U2 today can simultaneously journey through different eras of Berlin’s transportation and urban history.
Probably the most striking exhibit is located directly between the station’s staircases. There stands the front section of Motor Car No. 12 from the former Schöneberg Underground Railway, dating from 1910. The historic vehicle was restored to its original condition for the exhibition and installed at the station in November 1985. Before the car became a museum piece, it was actually still in service. Among other things, it was used for transfer runs between the two East Berlin subway lines. Following an accident, the vehicle was taken out of service in 1982. However, part of the car body was preserved and, a few years later, found its current home at Klosterstraße Station.
Another unique feature can be found in the southern entrance area. There, you’ll find the so-called “Babylonian Palms”—colored wall decorations whose design is based on Babylonian models from the time of King Nebuchadnezzar II. This design element, too, was created by Alfred Grenander and was already part of the original station from 1913.
