Well. I knew there was a seedy underside to Berlin somewhere - and here it is. As part of my study…read moreof public spaces in Berlin for my thesis, Gorlizter Park was on my list.
Its a big park, with a lot of parts. The north end is surrounded by hipster hangouts, a very nice church tower and an Ubahn station. Lots of people coming and going. There is also a hill with a swimming pool buried in the middle of it. One side has a glass jewelbox viewing window, the other side a particularly ugly curved concrete facade that looks to be left over from the GDR days. One would hope that the bulldozer will one day remove that hideous blot of concrete.
There are 3 old buildings nearby that seem to be relics of a railroad past. Nice structures - one is a restaurant (Das Edelweiss) and one is marked 'clubhouse'. They are simply covered in graffiti. Sad really. There is an odd concrete construction facing the restaurant that seems to be either the worst designed amphitheater ever, or a failed fountain that now kinda serves that purpose. Not sure. Odd.
Graffiti is an epidemic here. For some reason the lower half of the park has this yellow brick wall in many places that simply invites spray paint. There are no police to be seen. Lots of people out with strollers and dogs, even on a drizzly weekday late afternoon. Older folks walking about - and - drug dealers. I was warned in advance - but the blatant nature of the activity was rather surprising.
Above Oppelner Strasse is mostly open and/or active recreation. Below, towards the river, is designed to offer a more 'natural' green experience. There is a strange depression in the middle that serves no purpose, and at Oppelner is a fountain that was inoperative. Perhaps due to the season. Dunno.
Heres the strange thing: Right at the entrance, on either side of the fountain, are two grottos with benches and heavy vegetation/shielding for these spaces - its as if the designers ASKED the pot dealers how to set it up best for them and they did. Absolutely the dumbest thing I have ever seen in a park. One guy on a bike was simply convinced I was his newest customer. He gave up after two or three entreaties. It seems he was a runner for the dudes hanging in the grotto - I saw him going there and off again a couple of times. Clearly, attitudes about drugs are more relaxed here, but this park suffers greatly I think from the obvious disorder of street level drug sales and graffiti.
Even with all that, given the location and size of the park, I'm guessing that in summer its a very busy place.