Natur Park Südgelände

Natur Park Südgelände

Nature Park South Area

If you’re looking for wild natural beauty with a historic past in Schöneberg, visit the Natur Park Südgelände. The 18-hectare site is located right next to the Priesterweg S-Bahn station.

Creation of the Nature Park

From 1889, the former Tempelhof marshalling yard was located on the site. This was closed in 1952. During the following decades, a species-rich, unbridled natural landscape developed without human interference. This was threatened by recurring considerations to put the station back into operation.

Many protected species, some of them endangered, have found a habitat here. Since 1999, the nature park has been designated as a landscape conservation area, and some areas are nature reserves. It was opened in 2000 as part of the Expo in Hanover.

Two circular routes through the park

The area is accessible by two circular trails: The “Great Circular Trail” (2.7 kilometers) leads along the old railroad tracks through the nature reserve. To ensure that flora and fauna are not harmed, a raised footbridge leads over several hundred meters of the path.
The “Small Circular Trail” (about 1 kilometer) leads past the most imposing legacies of the old train station: a steam locomotive 50 on display, the water tower towering over everything, and an old turntable.

Combining learning and recreation

The park combines the areas of learning, recreation, and enjoying nature and modern art in a variety of ways. For example, the barrier-free permanent exhibition “Groundbreaking Nature” provides an insight into the spectrum of settled animal and plant species. Steel art objects are scattered throughout the park, waiting to be explored. They were created by the Berlin-based artist group ODIOUS.
A visit is worthwhile for families and recreation seekers alike.
The park was awarded the 2022 International Carlo Scarpa Prize for Gardens for its lively combination of technical history (remnants of the station’s past), nature (landscape and, in part, nature conservation) and redesign (in the form of modern art installations).

From Hotel Schöneberg the park can be reached by bus (Richard-von-Weizsäcker-Platz to S-Bahn station Südkreuz) and train (S2 to Priesterweg).