Seumi Berlin · Seumestraße 8, 10245 Friedrichshain
Renting an Altbau apartment in Berlin
When people search for an "Altbau apartment in Berlin", they usually mean one thing: high ceilings, stucco mouldings, wooden floors, and the character of a genuine pre-war building — not a sterile new-build. That's exactly what we offer at Seumestraße 8, in the middle of Simon-Dach-Kiez, Friedrichshain.
What exactly is an Altbau?
In Berlin, "Altbau" (literally "old building") usually refers to a residential building from the Gründerzeit era, built roughly between 1870 and 1918 — the period when Berlin's population grew from 800,000 to over two million and entire districts like Friedrichshain, Prenzlauer Berg, and Kreuzberg were built up with multi-storey tenement blocks. These buildings share a set of typical features: ceilings 3 to 4 metres high, ornamental stucco mouldings, double box-frame windows, solid wood parquet or plank flooring, and often a quiet inner courtyard.
The counterpart is "Neubau" (new build) — buildings from the 1960s onward, usually with lower ceilings, less ornamentation, and a plainer architectural style. Travellers looking for an authentic Berlin feel almost always deliberately choose an Altbau over a Neubau apartment.
Typical Altbau features
High ceilings
3 to 4 metres of ceiling height is standard for Gründerzeit buildings — a sense of space no modern new-build matches.
Stucco ceilings
Ornamental ceiling roses and stucco mouldings, usually original or carefully restored.
Wooden floors
Solid wood plank or parquet flooring with patina and history — not laminate from a hardware store.
Box-frame windows
Double window sashes with an air gap between them — good insulation, and the distinctive sound of a Berlin window opening.
Inner courtyard
Many Altbau buildings have a quiet, often green courtyard, shielded from street noise.
Our Altbau apartment: Seumestraße 8
Our holiday apartment is on the first floor of a period building at Seumestraße 8, built in 1911 — a 3-minute walk from Boxhagener Platz. The building survived the Second World War, forty years of East Germany, and reunification; the full story of the building lives on its own page.
The apartment itself combines the charm of the Altbau — high ceilings, large windows, wooden floors — with modern comfort: a fully equipped kitchen, washing machine, fast WiFi, and a smartlock for self check-in.
- 58 m² floor area
- 2 bedrooms, sleeps up to 4
- Built in 1911, Gründerzeit period building
- First floor, front building
- Self check-in via smartlock
- Dog welcome (€30 fee)
Why Altbau instead of a new-build?
Altbau apartments are almost always in established, central neighbourhoods — new-builds, by contrast, tend to appear on the city's outskirts or on infill plots. Anyone looking for a holiday apartment in Friedrichshain, Prenzlauer Berg, Kreuzberg, or Mitte will find that the housing stock there predates 1918 almost entirely — with short walks to cafés, restaurants, and public transport. That's the real reason "Altbau" shows up so often in searches for Berlin accommodation: it signals not just architecture, but location.
Where to find Altbau apartments in Berlin
The densest concentration of well-preserved Altbau buildings is in these neighbourhoods:
- Friedrichshain — Simon-Dach-Kiez and surroundings — Gründerzeit buildings, many renovated in the 1990s and 2000s. Our apartment is here.
- Prenzlauer Berg — Particularly dense Altbau housing stock, very popular, and priced accordingly.
- Kreuzberg — Altbau mixed with post-war infill buildings, lively nightlife.
- Mitte — A mix of Altbau, GDR-era prefab blocks (Plattenbau), and modern new-builds — architecturally more varied.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between an Altbau and a Neubau in Berlin?
Altbau buildings mostly date from before 1918 (the Gründerzeit era) and have high ceilings, stucco, and wooden floors. Neubau buildings were built from the 1960s onward and typically have lower ceilings and plainer architecture.
Is the apartment at Seumestraße 8 a genuine Altbau?
Yes — the building was constructed in 1911 during the Gründerzeit and has the typical Altbau features: high ceilings, stucco, wooden floors, and box-frame windows.
How noisy is an Altbau compared to a new-build?
Solid Altbau walls and double box-frame windows insulate surprisingly well.
Is an Altbau apartment wheelchair accessible?
Not always — many Altbau buildings have no lift. Accessibility details for our apartment are on our accessibility page.
Can I book the Altbau apartment directly, without Airbnb?
Yes — booking directly through this website saves the Airbnb service fee, typically 14–16%. Same apartment, same availability, direct contact with the hosts.
Want more on the building's history and the neighbourhood? The history of Seumestraße 8 and the Friedrichshain guide →
Book the Altbau apartment now
From €130/night, direct with the hosts. No Airbnb service fee.
Check availability · from €130/night