Hackesche Höfe Berlin
History, Architecture and Honest Tips
What are Hackesche Höfe?
Hackesche Höfe is a complex of eight interconnected courtyards in Berlin-Mitte.
It opened in 1906 and remains Germany’s largest interconnected residential and commercial courtyard complex.
Today, you’ll find restaurants, cafés, small shops, cultural venues, apartments and some of Berlin’s most beautiful Art Nouveau façades here.
Why are Hackesche Höfe so famous?
Hackesche Höfe became famous primarily for its extraordinary architecture and its unique concept, which remains distinctive to this day.
Unlike many other Berlin courtyards, it was designed from the very beginning as a mix of living, working and culture.
After extensive renovations in the 1990s, it also became one of the most popular places in Berlin’s city centre.
Hackesche Höfe: Facts at a Glance
📍 Address: Rosenthaler Straße 40/41, 10178 Berlin-Mitte
🏛️ Opened: September 23, 1906
🏘️ Number of courtyards: 8 interconnected courtyards
🎨 Architecture: Berlin Art Nouveau, designed by August Endell
👷 Architect & developer: Kurt Berndt
🏛️ Listed monument: since 1977
🎟️ Admission: free
⏱️ Time needed: around 30–90 minutes (depending on whether you also visit the cafés, cinema or theatre)
🕒 Opening hours: The front courtyards are freely accessible. The residential courtyards at the back are closed at night.
🚆 Getting there: Hackescher Markt S-Bahn station or around a 10-minute walk from Alexanderplatz station
♿ Accessibility: The sources do not provide any information on this.
🛍️ Shops & culture: including AMPELMANN, Chamäleon Theater, Hackesche Höfe Kino, Askania, KPM, Sawade, as well as numerous cafés, restaurants and small boutiques.
Alright, friends,
Hackesche Höfe is one of those places that Berliners and visitors see completely differently.
Some mainly see boutiques and tourists.
Others see one of the most beautiful courtyard complexes in Germany.
Both are true – and that’s exactly why it’s worth taking a closer look.
I used to spend countless hours around this area. We spent many afternoons and nights between Museum Island and Hackesche Höfe. Somehow, these small courtyards still draw me in today.
Around the next corner, there’s often a café, a hidden passageway or simply a quiet courtyard, even though the big-city chaos of Berlin-Mitte continues just a few metres away.
Is Hackesche Höfe worth visiting?
Is Hackesche Höfe worth visiting?
Yes, despite the tourists, Hackesche Höfe is still one of my favourite places in Berlin-Mitte. If you’re only looking for an insider tip with no other visitors around, you’ll probably be disappointed.
But if you take your time, explore more than just the first courtyard and also wander around the surrounding area, you’ll discover a place that combines architecture, Berlin history and culture in a unique way.
Of course, the neighbourhood has changed.
Many small shops have made way for well-known brands, and it can get pretty crowded here on sunny weekends. Still, Hackesche Höfe has never completely lost its special character.
The mix of historic façades, small courtyards, cafés, cultural venues and the direct connection to Hackescher Markt still makes this place unique today.
Especially if you’re already exploring Berlin city centre or the Red Town Hall, you should make some time for Hackesche Höfe.
Instead of just walking straight through, it’s worth taking your time to explore the different courtyards.
That’s where you really see why this place has been one of Berlin’s most fascinating corners for more than 100 years.
The History of Hackesche Höfe
Anyone walking through Hackesche Höfe today will probably first think of cafés, small boutiques or its striking Art Nouveau façade. But the history of this place actually began long before the first stone of the courtyards was laid.
Until the 17th century, the area lay north of Berlin’s city wall at the time.
Instead of residential buildings, the area was dominated by numerous barns used to store hay and straw. This was prohibited within the city because of the high risk of fire.
The name Scheunenviertel still recalls this period today. As Berlin grew, the area gradually developed into Spandauer Vorstadt, which was officially incorporated into the city in 1731.
Nearby, the Nikolaiviertel also developed. Today, it is considered Berlin’s oldest preserved district and still reflects the historical roots of the capital.
An important turning point was the creation of Hackescher Markt. It was laid out in the mid-18th century on the orders of Frederick II by Berlin’s city commander, Hans Christoph Graf von Hacke, after whom the square is still named today.
Thanks to its central location, Hackescher Markt developed over the years into one of Berlin’s most important transport hubs, attracting more and more people, shops and businesses.
A vibrant Jewish community also developed around the square. The Neue Synagoge on Oranienburger Straße and the Alter Jüdischer Friedhof remain important reminders of this history today.
Why Were Hackesche Höfe Built?
At the beginning of the 20th century, Berlin was growing rapidly. The city was one of Europe’s most important industrial and commercial centres, and more and more businesses were looking for modern commercial spaces.
It was during this period that architect and developer Kurt Berndt came up with an idea that was unusual for Berlin at the time.
Instead of a traditional residential building or a purely industrial complex, he planned a building complex that combined different uses.
Eight interconnected courtyards were built on a site covering around 9,200 square metres, with approximately 16,000 square metres of commercial space and around 80–100 apartments.
The concept was so successful that Hackesche Höfe is still considered Germany’s largest interconnected residential and commercial courtyard complex today.
But it wasn’t just the size that made it special. While many Berlin courtyards at the time were densely built and dark, Berndt created a carefully planned mix of working, living and culture. This combination ensured that the courtyards remained commercially attractive while also appearing far more prestigious than comparable commercial courtyards.
Modern technology such as central heating and its own electricity supply also made the complex one of the most advanced construction projects of its time.
Hackesche Höfe finally opened on September 23, 1906. More than a hundred years later, the original idea still works surprisingly well.
Where workshops, offices and apartments once stood, today you’ll find restaurants, small shops, culture and apartments – often right next door to each other. It’s exactly this mix that still makes the place so special today.
Why Do Hackesche Höfe Look So Unique?
The famous façade of Hackesche Höfe was designed by artist and architect August Endell and is considered one of the most important examples of Berlin Art Nouveau.
With its glazed ceramic tiles, flowing shapes and bold colours, it still stands out clearly from the surrounding buildings today.
That’s exactly why it’s one of the first things most visitors remember.
While the street-facing façade on Rosenthaler Straße was designed in a comparatively traditional style, developer Kurt Berndt deliberately wanted to make the first courtyard something special.
As a great admirer of Art Nouveau, he commissioned August Endell, who had already attracted attention at the time with his unusual designs. Endell designed not only the famous façade of the first courtyard, but also the staircases, restaurants and the former ballrooms, which today are home to venues including Chamäleon Theater.
The glazed ceramic tiles in different colours are particularly impressive.
Their wave-like patterns create the impression that the façade is moving, depending on the angle of the sunlight. It’s exactly this interplay of light, colour and form that still makes Hackesche Höfe one of the most beautiful examples of Art Nouveau in Berlin today.
What Many Visitors Don’t Know About Hackesche Höfe
Hackesche Höfe was more than 100 years ahead of its time. While many Berlin courtyards in the early 20th century were dark, cramped and used almost exclusively for factories or apartments, architect and developer Kurt Berndt created a completely different concept.
Working, living, commerce and culture were all meant to come together in one place – an idea that is once again considered modern and sustainable urban planning today, but was almost unique at the time.
Hackesche Höfe was also one of the most technologically advanced construction projects of its time. Central heating, its own electricity supply and spacious courtyards provided significantly better working and living conditions than many other commercial courtyards in Berlin.
It’s exactly this combination of architecture, function and quality of life that still makes the historic courtyard complex one of the most extraordinary building ensembles in Germany today.
Another interesting detail is AMPELMANN. The first shop of the brand, now known far beyond Berlin, opened right here in Hackesche Höfe.
Hardly any other place could have been a better fit for a brand that represents Berlin like few others.
More Than Just Shopping: What You’ll Find at Hackesche Höfe Today
If you only associate Hackesche Höfe with boutiques, you’re missing a big part of its charm. Of course, there are plenty of shops, cafés and restaurants. But the courtyards are still a place where culture plays an important role.
Today, the historic ballroom is home to Chamäleon Theater, which has made an international name for itself with contemporary circus.
Directly above it is Hackesche Höfe Kino, which mainly shows arthouse films, European productions and films in their original language rather than major blockbusters.
It’s places like these that make Hackesche Höfe more than just a typical shopping street, despite how well known it has become.
I always think of Haus Schwarzenberg, just a few steps away.
We used to spend many nights there. While more and more well-known brands have gradually moved into Hackesche Höfe, Haus Schwarzenberg has kept its raw, alternative character to this day.
It’s exactly this contrast that makes the area so interesting to me. Within just a few minutes, you go from restored Art Nouveau façades to street art, small courtyards and places that feel distinctly less polished.
That’s why I would never look at Hackesche Höfe completely in isolation.
Together with Haus Schwarzenberg, Monbijou Theater and Museum Island, just a few minutes away, it makes for one of the most varied walks through Berlin-Mitte.
This is exactly where history, culture and modern Berlin are often just one street corner apart.
Getting to Hackesche Höfe
Hackesche Höfe is located right in the heart of Berlin and is easy to reach by public transport. The easiest option is to travel to Alexanderplatz station and walk around ten minutes from there, or take one of the trams towards Hackescher Markt.
Even closer is Hackescher Markt S-Bahn station, which is practically right in front of the courtyards.
Several tram lines also stop around the square, making the area easy to reach from almost anywhere in Berlin.
Parking spaces, on the other hand, are hard to find, so getting there by tram or train is much more relaxed.
Conclusion: Is Hackesche Höfe Worth Visiting?
Hackesche Höfe is no longer an insider tip. It’s simply too well known and, on many days, too busy for that. Still, it’s one of those places I would show friends without hesitation.
Not because of the boutiques or restaurants. But because a piece of Berlin history can still be experienced here today. Hardly any other place combines Art Nouveau, historic architecture, culture, residential life and big-city life so naturally.
If you take your time, don’t just photograph the first courtyard and also look around you, you’ll keep discovering small details that many visitors miss.
Combined with Hackescher Markt, Museum Island, the Red Town Hall or the Berlin TV Tower and World Clock, this part of Berlin-Mitte is home to some of my favourite walks through the capital.
And if you feel like discovering a completely different side of Berlin afterwards, it’s also worth heading to Holzmarkt 25 – two places that could hardly be more different, yet both have their own firmly established place in Berlin today.
Berlin is not a tourist attraction. Berlin is a city.
See you in the real Berlin – or here in the next blog.
Take care 🖤
MOST IMAGES IN THIS ARTICLE ARE SAMPLE IMAGES AND WERE NOT TAKEN AT THE PLACES DESCRIBED.
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