Berlin Modernism Housing Estates


World Heritage Identification Number: 1239

World Heritage since: 2008

Category: Cultural Heritage

Transboundary Heritage: No

Endangered Heritage: No

Country: 🇩🇪 Germany

Continent: Europe

UNESCO World Region: Europe and North America

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Berlin Modernism Housing Estates: A Legacy of Innovative Urban Planning and Architecture

The Berlin Modernism Housing Estates, inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008, stand as a testament to the progressive social, political, and cultural climate of Berlin during the Weimar Republic (1919–1933). These six subsidized housing estates, each unique in its design and approach, exemplify the building reform movement that aimed to improve housing and living conditions for individuals with lower incomes.

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UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site

Berlin Modernism Housing Estates. The property consists of six housing estates that testify to innovative housing policies from 1910 to 1933, especially during the Weimar Republic, when the city of Berlin was particularly progressive socially, politically and culturally. The property is an outstanding example of the building reform movement that contributed to improving housing and living conditions for people with low incomes through novel approaches to town planning, architecture and garden design. The estates also provide exceptional examples of new urban and architectural typologies, featuring fresh design solutions, as well as technical and aesthetic innovations. Bruno Taut, Martin Wagner and Walter Gropius were among the leading architects of these projects which exercised considerable influence on the development of housing around the world.

Encyclopedia Record: Berlin Modernism Housing Estates

The Berlin Modernism Housing Estates is a World Heritage Site designated in 2008, comprising six separate subsidized housing estates in Berlin. Dating mainly from the years of the Weimar Republic (1919–1933), when the city of Berlin was particularly progressive socially, politically and culturally, they are outstanding examples of the building reform movement that contributed to improving housing and living conditions for people with low incomes through innovative approaches to architecture and urban planning. The estates also provide exceptional examples of new urban and architectural typologies, featuring fresh design solutions, as well as technical and aesthetic innovations.

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Additional Site Details

Area: 88.1 hectares

UNESCO Criteria: (ii) — Significant interchange of human values
(iv) — Outstanding example of a type of building or landscape

Coordinates: 52.4483333333 , 13.45

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Image of Berlin Modernism Housing Estates

© A.Savin, FAL Resized from original.

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Nearby World Heritage Sites

Museumsinsel (Museum Island), Berlin
9 km — Germany
Palaces and Parks of Potsdam and Berlin
29 km — Germany
Luther Memorials in Eisleben and Wittenberg
85 km — Germany
Garden Kingdom of Dessau-Wörlitz
97 km — Germany
Muskauer Park / Park Mużakowski
133 km — Germany, Poland

Country Information: Germany

Flag of Germany

Official Name: Federal Republic of Germany

Capital: Berlin

Continent: Europe

Population (2024): 83,510,950

Population (2023): 83,901,923

Population (2022): 83,797,985

Land Area: 349,390 sq km

Currency: Euro (EUR)

Country Data Sources

Last updated: January 18, 2026

Portions of the page Berlin Modernism Housing Estates are based on data from UNESCO — World Heritage List Dataset and on text from the Wikipedia article Berlin Modernism Housing Estates, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Changes made. Additional original content by World Heritage Explorer (WHE), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. WHE is not affiliated with UNESCO or the World Heritage Committee. Legal Notice. Privacy Policy.

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