With its jaunty towers and turrets, crenellated walls and arched walkways, the Oberbaumbrücke (1896) gets our nod for being Berlin’s prettiest bridge. Linking Kreuzberg and Friedrichshain across the Spree, it smoothly integrates a steel middle section by Spanish bridgemeister Santiago Calatrava. In summer, street musicians and artists often turn the bridge into an impromptu party zone.
Added bonus: the fabulous views. Looking southeast along the river, you’ll spot the Universal Music HQ, MTV Europe and the extravagantly designed nhow hotel. On the Kreuzberg side are the Watergate club, the Badeschiff and, in the distance, a giant aluminium sculpture called Molecule Man by American artist Jonathan Borofsky. Right in the river, it shows three bodies embracing and is a symbol of the joining of the three districts of Kreuzberg, Friedrichshain and Treptow.
