Weissensee (Berlin)

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Location of Weissensee in the Pankow borough of Berlin

Weissensee is a locality in the borough of Pankow in Berlin, Germany, named for the small lake Weißer See (White Lake) within it. Before Berlin's 2001 administrative reform, Weissensee was a borough in its own right, consisting of the localities of Weissensee, Heinersdorf, Blankenburg, Karow and Stadtrandsiedlung Malchow.

Weißer See

Weissensee was first mentioned in 1313 as Wittense. The first settlers subsisted on fishing and established themselves on the eastern shore of the lake, where an old trade route connected Berlin with Szczecin (Stettin) and the Baltic Sea - today the Bundesstraße 2 federal highway.

As Berlin's smallest district (by inhabitants) it had historically been slightly in the shadow of its neighbouring boroughs Prenzlauer Berg and Pankow. However its popularity is increasing due to its proximity to the fashionable (but expensive) Prenzlauer Berg. With its tram connections it also has easy access to central Berlin.

Weissensee is appreciated as a good choice for people seeking for a balance between urban life and seclusion in a peaceful district of Berlin. The immediate area around the lake Weißer See is characterized by its historical architecture, numerous places of interest, parks, lakes and activities. The art school Kunsthochschule Berlin-Weissensee is of nationwide rank. The Radrennbahn Weissensee cycling track has also hosted popular music concerts. At Weißensee Cemetery, one of Europe's largest Jewish cemeteries, notable people like the painter Lesser Ury and the publishers Samuel Fischer and Rudolf Mosse are buried here.