Berlin: The Gay Districts: Kreuzberg

Kreuzberg was famous for a long time for being Berlin's most colourful and whimsical district. After the fall of the Berlin Wall and the new won role as an inner city district a period of reorientation lies behind Kreuzberg. Fortunately it did not loose its unique character during that process.
The gay and lesbian scene is primarily centred around Oranienstrasse (colloquial: O-Strasse) and a part of the Mehringdamm.
The 50's styled Bierhimmel and the homelike Roses at the Oranienstraße are situated next to the legendary multicultural SO 36. Lesbians enjoy dancing nights at the Schoko in the Schokoladenfabrik or have convivial evenings at the café of the same name.
Around the Mehringdamm at the corner to Bergmannstrasse there are a the Bargelb und the Barbie Bar. The so called Café Sarotti-Höfe is the newest meeting point at Mehringdamm. In this street you will find institutions of the gay and lesbian community combined, such as the SchwuZ, the café Melitta Sundström, the Schwule Museum (Gay Museum) and the aha, a working group of homosexuals. The SchwuZ is dedicated to the gay and lesbian movement since 1977 and sees itself as an open communication centre. In the meantime it has also become a regular of the Berlin club scene, here lesbians, gays, hetero friends and drag queens are dancing the night away to House, oldies or Latin. Into the SchwuZ you will get via the Café Melitta Sundström, which is above. The café was named after the famous and beloved travesty star and is the place to get a delicious breakfast.

Pictures were taken in a snowing afternoon at Mehringdammstrasse.