Dead Chicken Alley

You are now stepping into Berlin’s most fascinating alleyway: the famous Haus Schwarzenberg, also known as Dead Chicken Alley. The moment you enter, you directly sense that something is different in here. It’s more than just the walls covered in street art and swallowed up by vegetation. There’s a sense of freedom, tinged with anarchism, that lingers in the air. That’s because you’re standing at one of Berlin’s most emblematic sites. A place where you can feel the city’s alternative culture and where urban creativity blossoms freely It all began with the Dead Chicken collective, a group of artists founded in the 90s that was known for their provocative installations. After the Cold War, many buildings in East Berlin were abandoned and left to decay. The collective moved into the building at the end of this alley, transforming it into a home for bold and independent cultural initiatives. Many artists were gradually drawn to this place, thus leading to the entire alley becoming a well-known hub of Berlin’s underground art scene. There’s a lot to see, so take your time to examine each graffiti closely. It’s not worth trying to explain each one of them, as the art illustrations here are alive and in constant change. However, some key spots remain the same so we can take a look at them together. You’ll find two small museums. First, there is the free one, the Otto Weidt Museum, in honor of the World War II resistance fighter who employed blind and disabled people to save them from Nazi deportation. Next, there is the Anne Frank Center which offers a permanent exhibition called “All About Anne”. This is the only place in Berlin that presents the hitory of Nazism in a way accessible to children and families. You’ll see a model of the secret annex where Anne Frank and seven others hid for over two years, before being discovered, arrested, and deported. Further inside, there’s the Kino Central, a cinema, as well as a lively bar that hosts evening concerts. For something more unusual, go take a look at the Monsterkabinett, which is an underground haunted house filled with mechanical monsters, strange sculptures, and eerie automatons. Finally, at the back of the courtyard, a staircase covered in collage art will lead you up to the artists’ studios, where you can buy artwork, books, and other unique creations. I’ll leave you to explore this extraordinary place, enjoy!