Karl Friedrich Schinkel - Classicism as an Ideologie

Karl Friedrich Schinkel – Visionary of Prussian Architecture

Long before Gropius and Mies van der Rohe, Karl Friedrich Schinkel shaped Prussian style in the 19th century as an architect, urban planner, painter, and designer. Imagine him as the Philippe Starck of his era: a creative director for an entire nation, crafting a visual language rooted in Greek classicism and Gothic traditions.

The result is an elegant, minimalist aesthetic that remains strikingly modern even 200 years later. It’s no wonder the founders of the Bauhaus regarded Schinkel as their intellectual father. On this half-day tour through Berlin’s historic center, you will experience his masterpieces firsthand and explore his arcadian vision in both historical and contemporary context.

Start at Café Némon

We meet at Café Némon near Gendarmenmarkt. During a cup of coffee or tea, your Metropol Guru, Guido Brancher, introduces Schinkel’s multifaceted talents and his enduring influence on architecture, design, and urban planning.

Tracing a Genius

During the walking route through Berlin’s historic center, you will visit theaters, churches, schools, museums, and a former military guardhouse. Along the way, it becomes clear how Schinkel’s extraordinary vision shaped every aspect of Prussian life for generations.

Finale at Lutter & Wegner

The excursion concludes with a meal at the historic restaurant Lutter & Wegner – a fitting spot where Schinkel’s contemporary, E. T. A. Hoffmann, once wrote his famous stories. Here you can reflect on the day’s discoveries with Guido Brancher and enjoy an engaging exchange of ideas.