Carl Legien Housing Estate

Apartment buildings in the Carl Legien housing estate in Prenzlauer Berg.

In the middle of the Prenzlauer Berg district, architecture enthusiasts will find an inhabited sight: the Wohnstadt Carl Legien is located to the east of Prenzlauer Allee. Together with five other Berlin Modernist housing estates, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The housing estate was built between 1928 and 1930 according to plans by Bruno Taut and Franz Hillinger as part of the Weimar Republic's housing construction program. The estate was named after Carl Legien, the first German trade union leader.

Small but excellent: apartments in the Carl Legien housing estate

The estate consists of six long apartment blocks in a U-shape. The loggias and rounded balconies contrast with the cubist house shapes. Green inner courtyards make the estate appear less cramped than it actually is. The apartments in the houses usually only have two rooms, meaning that the majority of tenants are young people or older people. The apartments are too small for families with children. The Carl Legien housing estate has been restored with due regard to its listed status.

Information

• Address:
  Trachtenbrodtstraße 20
  10409 Berlin
  City map
• Architects: Bruno Taut, Franz Hillinger