Listing of the Day
Location: Berlin, Germany Price: €4.95 million (US$5.2 million)
Only a few of the villas in Wannsee, a sought-after suburb in the southwest of Berlin, built during the Wilhelmine era and the Weimar Republic, are still standing.
And this is a great example of one of them—a seven-bedroom mansion constructed in 1888, the Year of the Three Emperors, but upgraded and renovated with minimal interiors and up-to-date home tech for modern living.
A cultural scene emerged in this part of Berlin from 1870 onward, thought to be unrivaled in Germany’s empire and the Weimar Republic at the time, attracting artists, authors, scientists and intellectuals, including leading Jewish thinkers, many of whom escaped to the U.S. during Nazi rule. Albert Einstein was said to have celebrated his 50th birthday at the villa of his doctor Janos Plesch, in Wannsee, and was fond of spending Saturdays sailing on the lake.
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This villa has direct access onto the water, and, a rare bonus, said agent Fabienne Cézanne, of Berlin Sotheby’s International Realty, a private boating dock.
Still a neighborhood that attracts intelligent sorts, several German politicians now live here.
Stats
The villa is 7,263 square feet with 16 rooms, including seven bedrooms, four bathrooms, and two guest bathrooms, a library, study, living room, party room and laundry room. It is surrounded by 5,757 square meters of landscaped park.
Design pedigree
The historic villa has landmark status and was therefore very carefully restored in 2014 to preserve original features dating from the late 19th century. These include "Wilhelminian period" oak parquet flooring next to plain white washed walls and doors. There’s a circular-leaded glass window in the foyer and high ceilings, ranging from 3.3 meters on the ground floor to 5.20 meters on the upper floors.The renovation, was, however, undertaken with a "modern interior in mind," said Ms. Cézanne.
New terraces, balconies, a new roof and trusses were added during the renovation.
The new, modernist kitchen is Bulthaup, with an island and breakfast bar; the black-and-white tiled bathroom has a Philippe Starck "Shower Heaven" illuminated rain shower and a free-standing bathtub.
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Amenities
In the basement there’s a "unique wellness oasis," which boasts a Klafs sauna with five climate zones, a shower and whirlpool, plus a relaxation area that has direct access to the garden and lake.
The private lakefront includes its own boat dock. Guests and staff are catered for with a two-bedroom apartment on site and three garages.
There’s a wine cellar, too, and at the other extreme, a roof terrace with views of the water.
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Neighborhood notes
With its own private driveway and lake access, this house would suit a buyer who values privacy and security, said Ms. Cézanne, especially someone looking for nature and tranquillity after a hectic day of work in a capital city. It’s only 15 minutes to central Berlin, but a world away from its busy streets. Grunewald, the largest forested area in the western part of the city when the Berlin Wall stood, is nearby, for long, therapeutic walks.
Reachable by boat is Glienicke Bridge, the real "bridge of spies," a symbol of the Cold War, and the star of the 2015 Steven Spielberg film.
Sports fans are well catered for, too, with some of Germany’s most prestigious golf, rowing and sailing clubs on the doorstep.
Agent: Fabienne Cézanne, Berlin Sotheby's International Realty
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