Berlin — By theberlinguide on March 27, 2009 at 2:15 pm

Spring pleasure at the Lustgarten

It’s almost here, the Spring. I heard the first chirping of the migratory family buskers this morning, wandering up my street with accordions and trumpets and serenading the balconies in the hope of a few tossed Euro. A sign more reliable than the appearance of crocuses that Spring is definitely on it’s way.

Once the weather gets warm there is one place in the city were you’ll find tourists sunning themselves on lawns, recuperating from their sightseeing march across the city- the Lustgarten. Set squarely on Museum Island, in front of the Berliner Dom and the Altes Museum, the Lustgarten is the chance to stretch out and relax those weary feet, to fend off a few child beggars and to wonder casually at it’s name.

Lust means, well, it does mean lust. But it also means desire, delight, whim… or just the want to do something. In this context though the Lustgarten is the equivalent of the Pleasure Gardens which were popular in 18th century London. They are public gardens, often containing tea houses or entertainment possibilities. A pleasant way to spend a summer afternoon, taking in a bit of fresh air and probably carrying a parasol. All very proper, you see, and absolutely nothing to do with hedonistic public sex orgies in the middle of the city. Which is one of the more… lusty… explanations I’ve heard visitors tout knowingly.

The Lustgarten’s first manifestation was in the mid-1600′s when it covered a significantly larger area than it does now and included fountains, statues and orangeries to house such exotic plants as potatoes and tomatoes. It was the first botanic garden in the city, and a popular location. The early 1700′s saw it razed to become a sand covered exercise ground for soldiers and the home of Berlin’s Stock Exchange.

In the early to mid 1800′s the entire island took on a new gestalt, with construction of the Berliner Dom and the various museums. The garden was newly designed and a steam powered fountain was introduced – the height of technology. During the Weimar Republic it played host to political demonstrations, later Hitler had it paved over and ran many of his own political rallies there.

The current appearance of the Lustgarten, similar to it’s 19th Century form, dates only from post-reunification. In removing the parade-ground appearance and reverting it to an area of lush grass in the centre of the city, Berlin has again a small green heart. The Lustgarten, like the city, has seen and experienced a lot in it’s history… just not public orgies. I promise.