Berlin-Weißensee
Encyclopedia
Weissensee is a locality in the borough of Pankow
in Berlin
, Germany
, named for the small lake
Weißer See
(White Lake) within it. Before Berlin's 2001 administrative reform, Weissensee was a borough in its own right, consisting of the localities of Weissensee, Heinersdorf, Blankenburg
, Karow
and Stadtrandsiedlung Malchow
.
and established themselves on the eastern shore of the lake, where an old trade route
connected Berlin
with Szczecin
(Stettin) and the Baltic Sea
- today the Bundesstraße 2 federal highway.
As Berlin's least inhabited district, it has been overshadowed historically by its neighboring boroughs Prenzlauer Berg
and Pankow
. However its popularity is increasing due to its proximity to the hip but expensive Prenzlauer Berg. Its trams
make reaching Mitte
very convenient.
cycling track has also hosted popular music concerts. At Weißensee Cemetery
, one of Europe's largest Jewish cemeteries
, notable people like the painter Lesser Ury
and the publishers Samuel Fischer and Rudolf Mosse
are buried.
Pankow
Pankow is the third borough of Berlin. In Berlin's 2001 administrative reform it was merged with the former boroughs of Prenzlauer Berg and Weißensee; the resulting borough retained the name Pankow.- Overview :...
in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, named for the small lake
Lake
A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...
Weißer See
Weißer See (Berlin)
Weißer See is a lake in the Weissensee district of Berlin, Germany. Its surface area is 8.3011ha and volume 360,606m3. With a depth of 10.64m it is one of the deepest areas of water in Berlin. Its dimensions are approx. 300m East-West by 350m North-South.The lake and its surrounding landscape...
(White Lake) within it. Before Berlin's 2001 administrative reform, Weissensee was a borough in its own right, consisting of the localities of Weissensee, Heinersdorf, Blankenburg
Blankenburg (Berlin)
Blankenburg is a German locality within the borough of Pankow, Berlin. Until 2001 it was part of the former borough of Weißensee.-History:...
, Karow
Karow (Berlin)
Karow is a German locality within the Berlin borough of Pankow. Until 2001 it was part of the former Weißensee borough.-History:The locality was founded in 1375 with the name of Kare...
and Stadtrandsiedlung Malchow
Stadtrandsiedlung Malchow
Stadtrandsiedlung Malchow is a German locality within the Berlin borough of Pankow. Until 2001 it was part of the former Weißensee borough.-History:...
.
History
Weissensee was first mentioned in 1313 as Wittense. The first settlers subsisted on fishingFishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
and established themselves on the eastern shore of the lake, where an old trade route
Trade route
A trade route is a logistical network identified as a series of pathways and stoppages used for the commercial transport of cargo. Allowing goods to reach distant markets, a single trade route contains long distance arteries which may further be connected to several smaller networks of commercial...
connected Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
with Szczecin
Szczecin
Szczecin , is the capital city of the West Pomeranian Voivodeship in Poland. It is the country's seventh-largest city and the largest seaport in Poland on the Baltic Sea. As of June 2009 the population was 406,427....
(Stettin) and the Baltic Sea
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
- today the Bundesstraße 2 federal highway.
As Berlin's least inhabited district, it has been overshadowed historically by its neighboring boroughs Prenzlauer Berg
Prenzlauer Berg
Prenzlauer Berg is a locality of Berlin, in the borough of Pankow.Until 2001, Prenzlauer Berg was a borough of Berlin; in that year it was included in the borough of Pankow....
and Pankow
Pankow
Pankow is the third borough of Berlin. In Berlin's 2001 administrative reform it was merged with the former boroughs of Prenzlauer Berg and Weißensee; the resulting borough retained the name Pankow.- Overview :...
. However its popularity is increasing due to its proximity to the hip but expensive Prenzlauer Berg. Its trams
Trams in Germany
Germany has an extensive number of tramway networks . Some of these networks have been upgraded to light rail standards, called Stadtbahn in German...
make reaching Mitte
Mitte
Mitte is the first and most central borough of Berlin. It was created in Berlin's 2001 administrative reform by the merger of the former districts of Mitte proper, Tiergarten and Wedding; the resulting borough retained the name Mitte. It is one of the two boroughs which comprises former West and...
very convenient.
Overview
Weissensee is appreciated as a good choice for people seeking for a balance between urban life and seclusion in a peaceful district of Berlin. The immediate area around the lake Weißer See is characterized by its historical architecture, numerous places of interest, parks, lakes and activities. The art school Kunsthochschule Berlin-Weissensee is of national rank. The Radrennbahn WeissenseeRadrennbahn Weissensee
Radrennbahn Weissensee is a large cycling track located in the Weissensee district of Berlin. It is north of the park containing the Weisser See. It is also popular for inline skating and skateboarding....
cycling track has also hosted popular music concerts. At Weißensee Cemetery
Weißensee Cemetery
The Weißensee Cemetery is a Jewish cemetery located in the neighborhood of Weißensee in Berlin, Germany. It is the second largest Jewish cemetery in Europe. The cemetery covers approximately and contains approximately 115,000 graves. It was dedicated in 1880....
, one of Europe's largest Jewish cemeteries
Jewish cemetery
A Jewish cemetery is a cemetery where members of the Jewish faith are buried in keeping with Jewish tradition....
, notable people like the painter Lesser Ury
Lesser Ury
Lesser Ury was a German Impressionist painter and printmaker.He was born Leo Lesser Ury in Birnbaum, the son of a baker whose death in 1872 was followed by the Ury family's move to Berlin. In 1878 Lesser left school to apprentice with a tradesman, and the next year he went to Düsseldorf to study...
and the publishers Samuel Fischer and Rudolf Mosse
Rudolf Mosse
Rudolf Mosse was a German publisher and philanthropist.-Biography:Mosse was born in Grätz, Grand Duchy of Posen, as the son of Dr. Markus Moses, a noted physician...
are buried.