Temperatures are dropping, and as the cold sets in, so does the desire to spend a few cozy hours somewhere warm. While the first Christmas markets outside beckon with hot mulled wine, there are plenty of other ways to relax indoors. A soothing spa visit sounds particularly tempting. And those who’d rather take a dip might be thinking about a trip to the wave pool. But of all places, visitors will have to wait even longer for one of Berlin’s most famous recreational pools. The wave pool at Spreewaldplatz in Kreuzberg has been closed since the summer of 2023 and is undergoing extensive renovations. Now the reopening has been delayed once again: visitors are not expected to be able to swim in the artificial waves again until the first quarter of 2028.
The wave pool at Spreewaldplatz is located right next to Görlitzer Park and has been one of Kreuzberg’s best-known swimming pools for decades. Since its opening in the 1980s, it has been a favorite among families and children in particular, thanks to its combination of a traditional swimming pool and a water park. Its most distinctive feature is the artificial wave pool, where swimmers can experience the sensation of ocean waves. This sets the facility apart from typical indoor pools, which primarily focus on competitive swimming.
In addition to the wave pool, the recreational pool featured a 25-meter-long lap pool, a large non-swimmer pool, a wading pool for toddlers, and a separate diving pool with one- and three-meter diving boards. A water jet, a children’s slide, and a sauna area were also part of the facility. During the week, the pool was also regularly used by schools and swimming clubs. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, it recorded an average of about 225,000 visits per year, underscoring its great importance to the district.
Originally, a construction period of about three and a half years was planned, but the condition of the building proved to be significantly more problematic than expected. During the work, asbestos was discovered in the floor structures and lead in old layers of paint, among other things. The proper removal of these hazardous materials required additional measures and led to delays. Added to this is the technical complexity of the building. The recreational pool is being almost completely gutted, while essential parts of the building’s shell will remain intact. The entire swimming pool technology, water treatment system, ventilation systems, and the changing rooms and restroom areas must be replaced. At the same time, the building is to be energy-efficiently modernized and brought up to current technical standards. In total, more than 40 different trades are involved in this extensive construction project.
Despite the delays, construction work is now visibly progressing. As the Berliner Bäder-Betriebe announced in September 2026, the demolition of the building is largely complete and reconstruction has begun. About 70 percent of the new building services components, including filters and ventilation units, have already been installed. The new window front on the ground floor has also been installed. Among the biggest new features is a modern wide slide with its own slide tower, for which the foundations are already being laid. In addition, the pool will feature a new stainless-steel diving tank. Installing it will require a crane approximately 60 meters high to lift the tank through the open roof into the building.
Changes are also on the horizon for the energy supply. The three chimneys—each about 24 meters high—from the former gas heating system are being removed, as the building has since been connected to the district heating network. This is intended to make the modernized recreational pool more energy-efficient in the future. However, not all of the previous amenities will return after the reopening. Back in July 2025, Berliner Bäder-Betriebe decided not to renovate the sauna area and to cease operating it themselves in the future. For cost reasons, plans for a height-adjustable lift floor in the diving pool—which had been originally planned—have also been scrapped.
