Hidden Paradise(s)?

For those who have been to Berlin, this is nothing new. But for those who haven't, maybe it will be something that entices you to visit the capital of Germany. The building style in Berlin is characterized by the courtyard. The buildings stand right up next to the sidewalk, but periodically there are wide entryways that give you a glimpse of what lies behind the building. This entryway (typically wide enough for a horse and wagen...or a car) leads back into a courtyard and perhaps to another building, behind which you can find yet another courtyard (Hinterhof). The buildings are like concentric squares, with space between that the residents turn into small green spaces, play areas, quiet spots to sit and enjoy coffee or a glass of your favorite beverage.

The courtyards that are on either side of my apartment look more or less uninteresting. Some people have plants on their balconies(if they have one) or outside their windows, but the courtyard itself is simply orderly, not cultivated.
Here you can see a late afternoon (or rather, evening--it stays light well past 9 p.m.) view into the first of two courtyards. The second courtyard, from which I enter my stairwell, you can see in my second post. It's been scaffolded so that the building behind mine can be insulated with foam before new stucco is applied.


Other courtyards are more interesting. Here is one from Potsdam:



Though it might be hard to judge from the pictures, courtyards are quiet spaces, away from the noise of traffic, streetcars and passers-by, who catch a glimpse of peace as they hurry by.