Part 1 – Drachenberg
First, a quick history lesson… Drachenberg and its more famous counterpart, Teufelsberg, are hills created from the rubble left behind after the Second World War. Unlike Teufelsberg, which was home to a US Army listening station (now derelict), Drachenberg was never built upon. It is now essentially a park and viewing platform all in one.
Now, I could well be biased here… Living nearby is probably a large part of why I am so fond of it – it’s basically my back garden. But with that being said, I really do think it is one of the best locations in Berlin and not just for photography.
Here are 3 reasons why I love coming here to shoot:
1. The View
This one goes without saying really, but the view from Drachenberg is amazing. To the East, you can see right across Berlin; to the South, you have a closeup view of the aforementioned Teufelsberg listening station; to the North you can see the historic Olympic Stadium and its grounds; and to the West, the Grunewald forest stretches to the horizon.
Yes, there are also other spots in Berlin with lovely views (Viktoriapark springs to mind), but none with such an unobstructed view.
2. It’s the best place to see sunrise/sunset
Photographers often talk about the “Golden Hour” – the hour or so just after the sun rises and before the sun sets, during which the sky turns shades of red and gold – as it adds mood and colour to photos. If you’re looking for somewhere to take photos in Golden Hour, look no further than Drachenberg. The lack of trees and buildings means that on a sunny day, you are guaranteed to get a great shot.
For sunrise, the best time of year to go is early spring as the sun rises directly behind the city. But if you’re not so much of an early bird (like me), then the view at sunset is just as spectacular.
3. There’s always something happening
Drachenberg isn’t just popular with photographers. In fact, it really is a communal space – you’ll find people running or biking up there (crazy, I know), flying kites, paragliding, tobogganing, having a party – whatever the season, whatever the weather, it is always a hive of activity. And as a photographer, that provides a variety of possible subjects and is different every time!
Directions: The closest S-bahn station to Drachenberg is Heerstrasse. The S9 and S3 trains run every 10 minutes to and from the city (direct to Zoologischer Garten, Hauptbahnhof, Friedrichstrasse, Alexanderplatz).
Lyle Bishop Photography 