Teufelsberg, Grunewald

Teufelsburg is the name of a man-made hill upon which the American National Security Agency built a large listening station during the Cold War. The listening station has fallen into disrepair since it was abandoned after German reunification and is now easily accessible to curious explorers.

To reach Teufelsberg from Berlin take the S-Bahn (S7) to Heerstrasse. From the station you want to head into the forest via Teufelsseestrasse (grab a wurst from the small kiosk next to the station, you've got plenty of walking ahead).

Soon the houses will end and you'll be surrounded by beautiful forest. After about 10 minutes on Teufelsseestrasse you'll come across a large car park on the right-hand-side (car park is 'B' on this map). You want to walk through the car park and follow the path that curves south up the hill. Stay on that same path and you will reach Teufelsberg's chainlink fence. Climb through the hole directly ahead of you.

Upon entering the site I felt as if I had stepped into a 1970s science fiction novel. A metal staircase cuts through a canopy of vines that conceals the crumbling monoliths of the listening station. Once you emerge, the evidence of invasion is painted across the walls of the complex; nearly every surface is decorated with graffiti. During our visit there were also people living in a smaller tower (despite their unusual choice of residence they were not interested in being tourist attractions. Signs declaring 'NO PHOTOS' stood in front of their make-shift home).

There is plenty to see within the site, but you will inevitably be lured towards the tallest part of the station. As the highest point for many miles around the views from the top are uninterrupted and unforgettable. Looking north you can see aeroplanes gliding into Tegel Airport behind puffs of smoke which tumble from power station chimneys. To the west and south the velvet-green expanse of Grunewald gives way to the sparkling waters of the Wannsee lake. Eastward lies Berlin itself. During our visit the sky was clear and we could see many of the city's landmarks.

There are some wonderful things to be found in the station itself, including a huge swing, rooms filled with thousands of fragments of glass and, most bewitching of all, the top-most sphere. To know what you'll find within it you'll have to visit yourself...

We were there for nearly three hours, including a stop for a picnic. Give yourself plenty of time to look around, and make sure you don't get stuck there when night falls. Visiting Teufelsberg was the highlight of my first trip to Berlin. I can't wait to go back.

(N.B. There are lots of sheer drops, big holes gapping in the floors and generally dangerous things lying around. If you decide to visit go with friends and stay safe.)

All photos are mine. Do not use them without permission.