Queer life
The Berlin of gays and lesbians has many of its most charming places in the Prenzlauer Berg.
Locations like "Bärenhöhle", "Marienhof", "Tipsy Bear Berlin" or "Sonntagsclub" stand today for a multifaceted queer scene, which has tradition in Prenzlauer Berg.
Long before the Wall was opened, when Prenzlauer Berg belonged to the eastern part of the city, a distinct scene developed here. For example, the Schoppenstube on Schönhauser Allee and Burgfrieden in Wichertstraße, which opened in 1963, were the oldest and best-known gay bars in East Berlin. These pubs became particularly famous in 1989 with the film Coming Out by Heiner Carow.
Today Prenzlauer Berg has a colourful gay and lesbian infrastructure with clubs, shops and pubs as well as art and culture. Nightlife in bars and clubs - nothing seems to be missing here.
In our tourist info at the KulturBrauerei are on display the city map “Gay Guide Berlin” and the magazine “Siegessäule”, which provide many tips.
Places, People, and Stories of Queer Diversity in BERLIN PANKOW & LICHTENBERG
Queer City Guide – Pankow & Lichtenberg
Berlin is internationally recognized as a capital of diversity and freedom. For decades, a vibrant community of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans*, inter* and queer people has shaped the life of this city – visibly, confidently and with global recognition.
Bars, clubs, museums, initiatives and political movements have made Berlin one of the most popular destinations for queer people worldwide. Often, attention is first drawn to Schöneberg and the area around Nollendorfplatz – rightly so, yet queer life in Berlin is by no means limited to a single neighborhood. It exists throughout the entire city, including in places where it may not be immediately expected. The districts of Pankow and Lichtenberg represent precisely this diversity beyond the well-known hotspots.
With this Queer City Guide, we aim to highlight that Berlin’s northern districts are also vibrant centers of queer life. Here, people live, celebrate, create, engage in dialogue and stand up for one another. This guide presents queer-friendly locations from the fields of culture, shopping, gastronomy, nightlife and beyond – places that actively promote openness and make diversity visible.
It invites residents and visitors alike to explore new paths, rediscover their own neighborhood, or consciously venture into the northern parts of the city.
At the same time, this guide seeks to contribute to making Pankow and Lichtenberg tangible as diverse, open and safe spaces for everyone. It does not claim to be exhaustive, as the queer and queer-friendly infrastructure in both districts is dynamic, continuously growing and extends far beyond the places presented here.
Berlin is diverse – and queer life has many addresses. Welcome to Pankow and Lichtenberg.
