Berlin isn’t just known for its club, cultural, and dining scenes—it’s also green, idyllic, and peaceful. In addition to famous hotspots like the Tiergarten and Tempelhofer Feld, there are numerous other places in the capital that you simply must visit. From the Volkspark Friedrichshain with its fairy-tale fountain to the idyllic Max Liebermann Villa, which combines nature and art history. And it doesn’t stop there: The Prinzessinnengarten is one of Germany’s best-known urban gardening projects and, at the same time, one of Berlin’s most extraordinary green oases.
The Prinzessinnengarten was founded in 2009 on a vacant lot at Moritzplatz in Kreuzberg . The goal was to create a place in the heart of the city for community gardening, environmental education, and sustainable living. The project quickly became a Berlin institution and also gained international recognition as a model for urban gardening. In 2020, the Prinzessinnengarten moved to the New St. Jacobi Cemetery in Neukölln. On the approximately 7.5-hectare site, a new community garden emerged among historic gravestones, old trees, and wild meadows, which today serves as a green gathering place for the neighborhood.
Visitors can expect more than 60 raised beds, vegetable and herb gardens, fruit trees, and flowering meadows, as well as numerous bee and nature conservation projects. In addition, workshops on sustainability and ecological gardening, educational programs for children and adults, and cultural events and exhibitions are held regularly. What makes it special is the unique combination of a historic cemetery, a community garden, and a public gathering place—a concept that is virtually unparalleled in Berlin.
In the middle of the garden is the cozy garden café at Hermannstraße 103–105. Every day from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., it serves coffee and homemade cakes, seasonal dishes, as well as small vegetarian and vegan meals, breakfast, and snacks made from regional and organic ingredients . The seating is spread out among vegetable beds and old trees, creating more of a country café atmosphere than that of a café in the heart of Neukölln.
The Prinzessinnengarten impressively demonstrates how unused spaces can be transformed into vibrant community hubs . The former cemetery now serves as a nature reserve, a place of learning, a neighborhood gathering spot, and a cultural meeting place all at once. Anyone looking to escape the hustle and bustle of the big city will find a green oasis here that uniquely combines sustainability, community, and enjoyment.
