Burgwallschanze

The Burgwallschanze was built in the mid-19th century to protect armaments manufacturing in Spandau. Having developed into a fortress town during the Thirty Years’ War (1618-1648), another important stage of Spandau’s fortification began in the mid-19th century when the Prussian state moved its armaments industry to the city and built an extensive bastionary fortification with earthworks in front of it.

The Burgwallschanze was built from 1855 to 1862 as part of the Stresow fortification. After its demolition in 1903 only its core structure, the reduit, was preserved. It is located not far from Spandau town hall on Ruhlebener Straße, south of the junction of Grunewaldstraße, hidden away among allotment gardens. It’s certainly worth a walk!

A small cultural centre called the Atelier Burgwallschanze is housed in the two-storey yellow brick building, and is available to artists as a workshop and venue for events. Visitors to the events have the chance to take a look inside the interesting building.