Gesundbrunnen once was a health resort and spa town. Apart from the name ("Gesund" meaning healthy and "Brunnen" being a well) there's nothing left from that era. Today it's a working man's district with a high percentage (about 35%) of Turks and Arabs.

And it is one of Berlin's poorer districts with a high unemployment rate of almost 26% and about 17% of the population living on social welfare. This does not apply to the younger folks, there the unemployment rate goes up to a staggering 70% and they have a lot of time on their hands to spend on the streets. According to Berlin's official parliament statistics the area around "Soldiner Straße" is the most problematic in Berlin.

Although Berlin isn't a city with an exceptionally high crime rate and there's nothing you might call slums, it's a good idea for a tourist to avoid tackling the streets of Gesundbrunnen in the dark. And keep an eye on your purse if you go shopping in the "Gesundbrunnen Center". Not everyone of those unemployed 16 year olds is in the mall to buy something...

The bridge "Bösebrücke" in Bornholmerstraße made history in November 1989. It was here where the border between east and west Berlin was opened first.

The U-Bahn and S-Bahn station Gesundbrunnen is a busy interconnection point, also incorporating some long distance lines of the "Deutsche Bahn" railway network.

Gesundbrunnen's recreation area is the Humboldthain park located between S-Bahn stations Gesundbrunnen and Humboldthain. In summer part of the park is a beautiful rose garden and you can refresh yourself in a public swimming pool if you want to get wet.

>>> Gesundbrunnen's history: Wikipedia