Rosengarten an der Karl-Marx-Allee // The Queen's Gambit
The hit Netflix series The Queen's Gambit tells the story of Beth Harmon (played by Anya Taylor-Joy), an orphan in the 1950s with an exceptional talent for chess. Although the series takes place across the USA, Moscow, and Paris, many scenes were filmed in Berlin.
Karl-Marx-Allee // Babylon Berlin
Babylon Berlin is a German TV series set during the tumultuous final years of the Weimar Republic, where Berlin itself emerges as a central character. While many scenes were filmed at Babelsberg Studios—the oldest large-scale film studio in the world located just outside Berlin—the production also brought the city's streets to life, particularly the Karl-Marx-Allee.
Salon Karl-Marx-Buchhandlung // The Lives of Others
In the final scene of The Lives of Others (Das Leben der Anderen), former Stasi captain Gerd Wiesler (Ulrich Mühe), who has been working as a newspaper delivery person since Germany's reunification, spots the book 'Sonata for a Good Man' by playwright Georg Dreyman (Sebastian Koch) in a bookshop window. He enters the store, picks up the book, and sees that the author has dedicated it to him. Wiesler had once spied on the opposition artist but ultimately chose to save him from the Stasi, which cost him his career. When the salesperson asks, "Shall I gift-wrap it?" Wiesler replies, "No, it's for me."
Strausberger Platz // The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes
In the prologue of The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, set during the tumultuous period known as “The Dark Days” of Panem, Karl-Marx-Allee is transformed into a haunting post-war landscape as young Coriolanus Snow and his cousin Tigris navigate through the digital ruins, brought to life with extensive set design and CGI.
Karl-Marx-Allee // Good Bye Lenin
In Good Bye Lenin, Wolfgang Becker's tragicomedy set against the backdrop of the fall of the Berlin Wall, a young man strives to protect his fragile mother by keeping her unaware that her beloved nation of East Germany has vanished.
Kino International // Atomic Blonde
The Kino International, which hosted premieres for the state-owned film studio DEFA, remained a prominent venue until the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. It is now a protected historic building and serves as a venue for the annual Berlin International Film Festival, known as Berlinale.
Kino International – Panorama Bar // The Queen's Gambit
Kino International is a remarkable example of modernist architecture from the GDR era. Opened in 1963, it continues to serve as a cultural landmark, featuring a preserved mid-century interior, a grand foyer, and historic charm. The movie theater provides visitors with a unique insight into Berlin's cinematic and political history, blending architecture, history, and culture.
Alexanderplatz // Babylon Berlin
The series Babylon Berlin follows Colognian commissioner Gereon Rath as he relocates to Berlin, the epicenter of political and social change during the Golden Twenties.
Alexanderplatz // The Contractor
The World Clock (Weltzeituhr) is a large turret-style timepiece that displays the current time in 148 major cities worldwide, using markings on its rotating metal cylinder. In July 2015, the German government officially recognized the clock as a monument of historical and cultural significance. In The Contractor, former U.S. Special Forces sergeant James Harper (Chris Pine) is recruited for questionable black-ops mercenary work in Berlin.
Alexanderplatz // The Bourne Supremacy
Alexanderplatz, named after the Russian Tsar Alexander I, was once the heart of East Berlin. Today, visitors can admire notable landmarks such as the Fernsehturm (TV Tower), the Nikolai Quarter, and the Rotes Rathaus (Red City Hall) nearby.
