podtour
Berlin's Jewish Quarter: from Rosenstraße to the New Synagogue
You start in Rosenstraße, where in the winter of 1943 families, mostly women, stood in the street and asked for their husbands and children back.
Prenzlauer Berg: the Kollwitzkiez: audio walk in Berlin
Streets named after a war, a water tower people still live in, a synagogue tucked away in a courtyard, the Jews' path behind a gate, the bronze neighbour in the square and a brewery that looks like a castle.
What this walk is about
You start on a corner where the streets are named after French cities, and you find out why. From the street you see the water tower on its hill, where people still live and where, in 1933, the SA ran a camp. On Rykestraße, Berlin's largest synagogue hides at the back of a courtyard, and in the building in front of it a world record holder taught PE. You pass the house of the doctor Karl Kollwitz and of Käthe, look through the gate of the Judengang with its legend about the king, remember the almost empty funeral of Max Liebermann, hear what's told about some deserters hidden in a cistern and meet Vera, one of the last two people buried there. You finish between the showcase street that East Germany did up for 1987 and the Schultheiss brewery, which saw it all from its hill.
- Start
- A neighbourhood named after a war
- Finish
- The brewery that saw it all
- Who it is for
- For people's stories. A walk for anyone curious about Jewish history.
- Languages
- Spanish and British English
- Underfoot
- The walk has slopes or changes in level. There are cobbles or uneven surfaces.
The route, stop by stop
An outline of the walk. The full stories are in the app.
Loading the map…
Open a marker to see its page. Use two fingers to move the map on mobile.
- 1
A neighbourhood named after a war
- 2
The tower people live in
- 3
Two memories on the same ground
- 4
The synagogue hidden in a courtyard
- 5
The champion who taught gymnastics
- 6
The doctor who didn't charge, and the artist
- 7
The legend of the Jewish path
- 8
The funeral without officials
- 9
The deserters' water tank
- 10
Vera, the last person buried here
- 11
The bronze neighbour in a renamed square
- 12
The showcase street of 1987
- 13
The brewery that saw it all
Walking directions are based on mapped pedestrian routes. Check local access and signs; the route is not an accessibility guarantee. Times are approximate.
Berlin, before you go
Berlin alternates broad avenues, courtyards and neighbourhoods with lives of their own. Walk each area slowly and use transport between them: several good walks make more sense than one marathon.
More walks nearby
Alexanderplatz and the TV Tower: Legends of East Berlin
You start in front of Marx and Engels, who no longer face the way people say they do, and a Red Town Hall that isn't red because it's communist, and whose chronicle in stone was rebuilt from photographs lent by ordinary Berliners.
Museum Island, the Palace and the Nikolaiviertel
You start at the Neue Wache, in front of the mother sculpted by Käthe Kollwitz.
Good to know
What is Podtour?
An app for self-guided audio walks. Choose a city and a route, then listen to the stories behind its streets. You decide when to start and when to stop.
When can I download the app?
Podtour is coming to iOS and Android. There is no confirmed launch date yet. Join the waitlist and we will let you know when it is ready.
Does Podtour include attraction tickets?
No. Street walks and monument audio tours do not include admission tickets, transport or a guide accompanying you.
Can I listen without an internet connection?
Download the audio in the app before heading out, then listen offline. Loading the online base map and calculating a new route from your location require a connection.
What languages are included?
Every route includes Spanish and British English. The English version is adapted for English-speaking travellers, rather than translated word for word.
How do I get a whole city for free?
Join the waitlist, choose a city and confirm your email address. When the app launches, we will email you with access details. No card is required. You can also try one free route in every city.
Can I buy for myself or for a group?
Yes. Your own access is included and you can choose 0–5 guests: up to 6 people including you. Each guest saves up to €0.50 on a walk, €1 on a pack or €2 on a whole city compared with buying separately. The counter shows the total before you confirm one payment.
How do I share, and when must guests accept?
After paying, share your purchase’s invitation link. Each guest opens it in Podtour and accepts their place on their own iPhone or Android phone. They must redeem it within 30 days of purchase. Unclaimed places then expire and cannot be recovered or renewed. Access accepted in time is kept. Opening the link does not use a place; one account takes just one place, and no more people can join once all places are taken.
Can I add guests after buying?
No. Choose all your guests before confirming the first purchase. Afterwards you can share the places you paid for, but you cannot increase their number or restart the 30-day deadline.
Your first city,
on Podtour.
Join the waitlist. When we launch, your chosen city is yours to explore.
iOSAndroidComing soon
A little welcome gift
Your first city,
on Podtour.
Join the waitlist and get one whole city free when Podtour launches. You choose where.
Podtour manages your launch request with your consent. You can withdraw it and exercise your rights as explained in our privacy policy. Privacy details.
One city per person. All its Podtour routes in Spanish and English. Available at launch. Offer details.