On the street side of Stephanstraße 11, the artistic, cast-iron, balcony lattice work gives visitors a small taste of the architectural jewels that await them inside. A beautiful entranceway, adorned with lavish stucco features, welcomes you into the wonderfully-preserved Altbau. The building has a total of 25 apartments, ranging from studios to two-bedroom apartments, from a cosy 30sqm to a more-than-comfortable 109sqm. In the front building, elaborately carved banisters lead you upstairs. Walk through to the peaceful, redesigned inner courtyard with three new balcony towers, and from there you can access the side-wing. If you like your buildings with a touch of fin-de-siècle glamour, this is sure to be a dream home for you.
Although it is the location of Berlin’s Central Train Station, and lies just over the river from the Federal Chancellery and the Reichstag, Moabit remains somewhat overlooked. There is little of the glitz and glamour of Mitte, or the hip grittiness of Neukölln or Kreuzberg. Instead, you get a vibrant local art and culture scene, a relaxed neighbourhood lifestyle, ubiquitous greenery and more than enough cafés, restaurants and bars. The River Spree is a constant presence, winding its way through the area, and the cobbled streets and historic buildings of this former working-class district give it a unique character.