The Berliner Siedlung Gartenfeld is a district in the west of Bad Homburg vor der Höhe, which was initially created from two separate housing estates in the post-war period. Today, the district is one of the city's established residential areas and is characterized by a mixture of detached houses, apartment buildings, larger residential complexes and numerous green spaces. The estate is home to over 8,000 residents and has a well-developed infrastructure, educational facilities and cultural venues.
The districts on both sides of Tannenwaldallee, the beginning of Elisabethenschneise, which leads to Sandplackenpaß in the Taunus mountains, and separated from each other by this road, together with Dornholzhausen, form the part of the city of Bad Homburg to the west of the city center and together (excluding Dornholzhausen) have 8296 inhabitants (as of September 1, 2016). The two estates essentially consist of terraced houses, detached detached houses or apartment buildings, and in some cases villas. There are also some larger residential complexes and high-rise buildings, particularly in the north-western part of the Gartenfeldsiedlung near the main road and in the part of the Berliner Siedlung close to the city center. There are several large allotment garden colonies in both the Berliner and Gartenfeld estates.
The Berliner Siedlung Gartenfeld has good transport links. Both Frankfurt am Main and the Rhine-Main region can be reached quickly via the A661 and the B456. Public transport links the district to Bad Homburg city center; bus lines 1 and 2 run at regular intervals. Shopping facilities can be found both in the district itself and in the neighboring urban areas. The nearby commercial area offers further supply options.
The Paul-Maar-Schule is an elementary school directly in the district. Secondary schools are easily accessible in the neighboring districts. There are also kindergartens and playgrounds, which make the residential area particularly attractive for families.
Parts of the Landgraves' Garden Landscape extend along Tannenwaldallee to Elisabethenschneise with the adjoining city forest and Hirschgarten. In addition to historic parks such as the Kleiner Tannenwald and Gustavsgarten, the district is also home to the city archives and the Gothic House Municipal History Museum.
In addition to the green spaces, the Berliner Siedlung Gartenfeld also has several allotment gardens, small football pitches and playgrounds. The Sandelmühle sports ground is located in the immediate vicinity of the Berliner Siedlung.
The Berliner Siedlung Gartenfeld regularly hosts smaller district festivals and events organized by local associations and neighbourhood initiatives. Popular events include the May festival and the Christmas market in the Berliner Siedlung. These festivals provide an opportunity to get to know the district and its neighborhood better and strengthen the sense of community.
Until the second half of the 19th century, the area of Gartenfeld and Berliner Siedlung was largely undeveloped, with only a few villas and spacious garden landscapes. Towards the end of the 19th century, residential development began, initially along the road to Dornholzhausen, today's Saalburgstraße, and along today's Heuchelheimer Straße. The latter takes its name from the deserted village of Heuchelheim, a settlement that had already been abandoned in the Middle Ages and was located in a straight line along the course of the road in the area that is now Dornholzhausen.
In the period between and after the world wars, further large parts of the former landgraves' gardens were opened up for development with detached houses. The Berliner Siedlung was built in the 1950s and the Gartenfeld-Siedlung in the 1960s to 70s as part of the reconstruction after the Second World War. During this time, the population of Bad Homburg grew rapidly and additional living space was urgently needed. The housing estates were designed as a garden city, a popular urban planning concept at the time, which was intended to combine spacious green areas and residential areas.
The district is the only one not to have been incorporated and has continued to develop steadily over the decades.
The local advisory council of the Berliner Siedlung Gartenfeld is a local body that represents the interests of the residents and serves as a link to the city administration. It is made up of elected representatives from the district and deals with issues such as improving infrastructure, traffic planning and promoting neighborly coexistence. The local advisory council also comments on construction projects and other urban development measures that affect the district. It has an advisory function and regularly submits its recommendations to the municipal committees.
