Tiergarten in the heart of Berlin is the green lung of the metropolis.
With an area of 210 hectares, the inner-city park offers a wealth of activities, monuments and attractions.
Read this guide to find out all you need to know before your visit. This includes things to do, how to get there, history, and more.
Let's begin!
Things to do in the Tiergarten in Berlin
Located in the heart of the city, near landmarks such as the iconic Brandenburg Gate, the Tiergarten is an oasis of calm amidst the hustle and bustle of the big city.
Below we reveal what you can do and see here:
1. Enjoy the Nature
Berliners love to walk in the idyllic Tiergarten and enjoy the beauty of nature. Crisscrossed by numerous ponds, canals and gardens, it is home to colorful flora and fauna.
The spacious park is perfect for cycling, skating, playing soccer or having a picnic with family and friends. Children can let off steam in the large children's playground in the heart of the park.
Feel free to find a nice spot and just soak up the sun while you rest from all the sightseeing or shopping you've been doing.
2. Noteworthy Gardens & Gastronomy
Particularly worth seeing is the English Garden north of the Victory Column with the Bismarck National Monument and the Moltke and Roon Monuments not far from Bellevue Palace. Here you will also find the Teahouse, which is especially attractive in nice weather with its beer garden and terrace.
Another place worth mentioning is the Rose Garden in the heart of the Tiergarten.
Very popular is the Neue See (New Lake) in the south of the park with the Café am Neuen See. This is a great place to enjoy the view of the lake and nature while sipping an ice-cold Berliner Weisse or a Schorle and relaxing wonderfully. Or get into a rowing boat and take a spin on the lake instead.
3. Memorials in the Tiergarten
Within the area, you can discover a number of memorials and monuments. Especially worth mentioning is the Soviet Memorial near the Brandenburg Gate, which commemorates the Soviet soldiers who died in World War II.
South of the Reichstag Building, you will find the Memorial to the Sinti and Roma of Europe murdered under National Socialism, which was inaugurated in 2012.
The Memorial to the Persecuted Homosexuals under National Socialism embodies a concrete cuboid with a glass opening showing a film of a same-sex love scene.
4. Sculptures in the Tiergarten
The Tiergarten is home to many sculptures. During a leisurely stroll you can encounter statues of Goethe, Lessing, Fontane, Richard Wagner, Lortzing, the beloved Prussian Queen Luise and her husband, Friedrich Wilhelm III, and the joint "Composers' Monument" with Beethoven, Mozart and Haydn.
In addition, numerous animal sculptures as well as bronze hunting scenes adorn the park, including the statue of the Amazon on horseback.
5. Victory Column
The Victory Column (Siegessäule), with its gilded bronze sculpture of Victoria, the goddess of victory, sits majestically in the middle of the Tiergarten. The monument was built from 1864 to 1873 in commemoration of Prussia's victories in the Unification Wars against Denmark in 1864, Austria in 1866 and France in 1870/71.
It is possible to climb the Berlin landmark and visit the observation deck at about 51 meters above sea level. A spiral staircase with 285 steps will take you to the top, from where you will have a magnificent view of the entire Tiergarten and Berlin.
- Read more about the landmark in our complete guide about the Victory Column.
6. Gaslaternen-Freilichtmuseum Berlin
The Gaslaternen-Freilichtmuseum (Gas Lantern Open-Air Museum) at the eastern end of the park arouses the curiosity of visitors as well. It includes nearly 100 gas lanterns from 36 German and European cities, dating from a variety of eras.
After dark, they are switched on, adding an atmospheric touch to the place.
7. More Attractions
Here is an overview of other sights in the Tiergarten:
- Haus der Kulturen
- Bellevue Palace and Office of the Federal President
- Carillon with the Sunday chimes
- Triton Fountain
- Rousseau Column
- "Michael Jackson Tree" near the Neues See
Entrance, Tickets & Tours for the Tiergarten
- Entrance: The Tiergarten is open daily and around the clock.
- Tickets: As a public park, access to the Tiergarten is free.
- Tours: Many organizers offer guided tours, which also head to the Tiergarten. Bicycle tours are especially popular.
- Traveler's Tip: If you want to explore Berlin and its top attractions individually and flexibly, we recommend the self-guided audio tours from our partner YourMobileGuide, such as the audio guide app Best of Berlin Tour.
How to get to the Tiergarten in Berlin?
- From Alexanderplatz: Take bus 100 and go eight stops to the "Haus der Kulturen der Welt (Berlin)" stop. From there it is only a few steps.
- From Potsdamer Platz: Either take a walk of about 16 minutes along Tiergartenstraße or take bus 200 at the stop "Varian-Fry-Str." After two stops, you will reach the stop "Tiergartenstr. (Berlin)".
FAQ about the Tiergarten in Berlin
The Tiergarten in Berlin is located in the very center of the city. It borders Potsdamer Platz, at the Brandenburg Gate as well as the Zoological Garden (Zoo Berlin). The address is: Straße des 17. Juni, 10557 Berlin
The Tiergarten in Berlin is 210 hectares in size. This makes it one of the largest parks in Germany.
The name of the Tiergarten in Berlin dates back to the mid-16th century, when wild animals were released on the grounds to create a hunting ground for the Elector.
History & Facts about the Tiergarten
The history of the Tiergarten dates back to the middle of the 16th century. At that time, wild animals were released on the site of today's park and fences prevented them from escaping to the surrounding fields. The terrain served as a hunting ground for the electors. Frederick the Great disliked hunting and turned the preserve into a "pleasure park for the people" in 1742. Between 1833 and 1838, the park was transformed into a landscape park according to the English model.
During the Second World War, the Tiergarten was severely damaged by the bombardments of the Allied air forces. After the end of the war, Berliners cut the park almost bare because they urgently needed firewood due to a coal shortage. Of the 200,000 trees that once stood, only 700 were left in the end. Potatoes and vegetables were temporarily grown on the freed-up areas.
It was not until between 1949 and 1959 that the Tiergarten was reforested. 250,000 young trees, which arrived by plane during the Berlin blockade, were planted. The park quickly developed into an important recreational area for West Berliners, who were separated from the surrounding area from 1952 and enclosed by the Berlin Wall from 1961. As such, the park continued to serve from German reunification to the present. Since 1991, the Tiergarten has been protected against encroachment as a garden monument.
Contact & Map
- Address: Großer Tiergarten Berlin, Straße des 17. Juni, 10785 Berlin.
- Opening Hours: Daily, accessible around the clock
- Public Transport: S-Bahn: Tiergarten, U-Bahn: Hansaplatz, Bus: 200 Tiergartenstr.
By loading the map, you agree to Google's privacy policy.
Learn more