There are few periods in modern history as cinematically compelling as Weimar Berlin—that brief, electric interregnum between the hyperinflation and political chaos of the early 1920s and the descent into National Socialism that would follow. It was an era of artistic ferment, sexual liberation, cabaret culture, extreme inequality, and the constant sense that something momentous was about to break. The 1920s in Berlin witnessed the flourishing of German Expressionism in art and film, the rise of the Bauhaus, and a cultural renaissance that would be brutally curtailed within a decade.

Cinemax’s “Babylon Berlin,” created by Tom Tykwer (the visionary director of “Run Lola Run”), brought this intoxicating and doomed era back to cinematic life with extraordinary ambition and technical precision. Debuting in 2017, the series follows Charlotte Ritter, a young working-class woman navigating the criminal underworld and aristocratic intrigue of Berlin during this period. What makes “Babylon Berlin” distinctive isn’t just its compelling narrative of corruption, desire, and political violence—it’s the painstaking historical recreation that makes 1920s Berlin feel palpable and alive.

Babelsberg: The Studio at the Heart of German Cinema

The Babelsberg Studios represent one of the oldest and most important film production facilities in the world. Located in Potsdam, just outside Berlin, Babelsberg was founded in 1912 and became the epicenter of German silent film production during the Weimar era. The studios where “Babylon Berlin” was filmed carry the literal weight of German cinema history. This is where Fritz Lang made “Metropolis” and “M,” where F.W. Murnau crafted “The Last Laugh,” where Marlene Dietrich became a star. The irony and poetry of filming a series about 1920s Berlin in the actual studio complex from that era cannot be overstated.

The production design team at “Babylon Berlin” faced a monumental task. They needed to recreate entire streets, interior spaces, and districts of Berlin as they existed in 1929. While some exterior shots were filmed on actual Berlin locations that have survived from the era, much of the production was constructed on Babelsberg’s sound stages. The advantage of using a studio for this kind of period recreation is that it allows for complete control. Filmmakers can build sets that are historically accurate down to minor details, ensuring consistency across scenes and seasons of production.

Walking through the Babelsberg Studios today, visitors can see remnants of this incredible production effort. While the specific “Babylon Berlin” sets have mostly been dismantled to make room for other productions, the studio complex itself is a living museum of German cinema history. The fact that “Babylon Berlin” was filmed in the same studio complex where the historical films and art it depicts were actually created produces a strange temporal recursion—the show uses the same physical spaces to recreate the era that those spaces witnessed firsthand.

Real 1920s Berlin Locations

While much of “Babylon Berlin” was shot on studio sets, the series also filmed extensively on actual Berlin locations. The production team conducted exhaustive research to identify buildings that have survived from the 1920s and that still stand in roughly their original form today. Modern street furniture, contemporary signage, and twentieth-first century technology had to be carefully removed or avoided in framing to allow these vintage buildings to serve as authentic backdrops.

The Friedrichstraße and Kurfürstendamm districts feature prominently in the series because these were the actual centers of glamour, nightlife, and commerce in 1920s Berlin. The grand hotels, department stores, and theaters that lined these streets have largely survived (though some were destroyed in World War II and carefully reconstructed), and they provided ideal locations for the show’s scenes of upper-class leisure and commerce.

The Moka Efti nightclub presents a fascinating case study in the relationship between real and fictional locations in “Babylon Berlin.” The Moka Efti was an actual nightclub that existed in 1920s Berlin and was famous in its era. The show depicts a fictionalized version of this club as a key location—a glamorous, morally permissive space where characters from different social classes intersect. The production team used the memory and historical documentation of the real Moka Efti as reference, but the version seen in the show is a reconstruction built on studio sets, designed to capture the era’s aesthetic while serving the narrative needs of television production.

The Nikolaikirche (St. Nicholas Church) in the historic Mitte district, one of the oldest churches in Berlin, appears in various scenes. This medieval structure survived World War II damage and stands today much as it did in the 1920s, providing an anchor of historical authenticity in the series’ recreation of 1920s street life.

The Brandenburg Gate and surrounding government buildings are visible in several exterior sequences, though much of the political intrigue in the show takes place in fictional interiors that were constructed on sets. The contrast between the monumental classical architecture of Weimar-era government spaces and the criminal underworld characters navigate creates visual interest through juxtaposition.

The Historical Accuracy and Design

What distinguishes “Babylon Berlin” from other period dramas is the obsessive attention to historical detail. The production hired historical consultants to ensure that everything from the cut of clothing to the design of interior spaces reflected actual 1920s aesthetics. This commitment to accuracy serves a practical purpose: it makes the world feel lived-in and real, which supports the emotional investment viewers develop in characters navigating this detailed recreation.

The costume design, overseen by costume designer Gabriele Binder, drew directly from photographs, fashion magazines, and museum collections from the era. The silhouettes, fabrics, colors, and accessories were researched extensively. This attention to authenticity extends beyond glamorous evening wear to the everyday clothing of working-class characters like Charlotte, whose wardrobe reflects the reality of young women’s fashion across economic strata.

The production design similarly reconstructed the visual language of 1920s interior spaces. The art deco elements, the materials used in furnishings, the style of lighting fixtures, the way spaces were organized—all were carefully researched. The interiors of Charlotte’s working-class apartment look distinctly different from the palatial spaces inhabited by the aristocratic characters, reflecting the extreme inequality of the era.

The show’s treatment of technology is similarly rigorous. Telephones, motorcycles, automobiles, weapons, and other technological elements are period-appropriate. The production team even researched the specific models that would have been available in Berlin in 1929, ensuring that vehicles visible in background scenes match what actually existed at that time.

Experiencing 1920s Berlin Today

For travelers interested in understanding the Berlin that “Babylon Berlin” recreates, the city offers numerous ways to connect with this era, though visitors should be prepared for the bittersweet reality that this glorious period was brutally curtailed within a few years of the show’s timeline.

The Babelsberg Studios: Located in Potsdam (a 30-minute S-Bahn journey from central Berlin), the Babelsberg Studios offer guided tours that include a film museum detailing the studio’s history from the silent era through today. Visitors can walk the grounds where German film history was made and see some remaining period structures. This is the most direct way to understand the production infrastructure that made “Babylon Berlin” possible.

Friedrichstraße: This street remains one of Berlin’s primary commercial and entertainment districts. While modern shops and restaurants dominate the contemporary street-scape, the underlying architecture includes buildings from the 1920s and 1930s that provide a visual sense of what the street looked like during the Weimar era. The Friedrichstraße Bahnhof (train station) is a prime example of preserved period architecture.

Kurfürstendamm: This famous boulevard in the western districts remains lined with historic buildings, many from the 1920s and 1930s. The street has been continuously updated and modernized, but the underlying architectural character remains. Historic hotels and cinemas still operate along the Ku’damm, providing a sense of its role as a center of entertainment and commerce.

The Mitte District: The historic heart of Berlin, including the area around Nikolaikirche and the surrounding medieval streets, provides a sense of old Berlin that contrasts with the more modern glamour of the 1920s westward expansion. Walking through Mitte offers a sense of historical layering.

Nightlife Venues: While the specific nightclubs from the 1920s no longer exist, Berlin’s contemporary nightlife scene—especially around Kreuzberg, Friedrichshain, and Charlottenburg—continues the Weimar tradition of experimental, boundary-pushing entertainment culture. Contemporary clubs often reference the aesthetic and liberatory spirit of the 1920s cabarets.

The German Historical Museum and Deutsches Technikmuseum: These institutions house extensive collections related to the Weimar era, including fashion, photography, and artifacts of daily life from the 1920s and 1930s. These museums provide context for understanding the historical period that “Babylon Berlin” depicts.

Visiting Tips:

• Babelsberg Studios can be reached via S-Bahn from Berlin Hauptbahnhof; tours operate year-round but booking in advance is recommended.
• For exploring Friedrichstraße and Ku’damm, consider doing a self-guided walking tour comparing the architecture visible today with period photographs of the 1920s.
• Many books about Weimar Berlin with historical photographs are available in English; reading one before or during your visit will enhance your ability to recognize historical continuities.
• The German Historical Museum near Mitte is free admission and provides excellent context for understanding the political and cultural forces of the Weimar era.
• Consider visiting in the evening to experience Berlin’s nightlife culture in districts like Kreuzberg, where the contemporary cabaret and club scene continues the Weimar tradition of transgressive entertainment.

The Shadow of History

What makes “Babylon Berlin” particularly poignant is that we, as viewers, know what comes next. The Berlin of 1929 depicted in the series would, within four years, witness the ascension of National Socialism and the destruction of the cultural world shown on screen. This temporal irony—watching a show celebrating Weimar culture and liberation while knowing the historical fate that awaited it—gives the series an elegiac quality. It’s not just entertainment; it’s a kind of cultural preservation, an effort to rescue this moment from oblivion and let viewers experience the vitality and freedom of Weimar Berlin before darkness fell.

Traveling to Berlin and understanding the locations and aesthetic of “Babylon Berlin” thus becomes more than entertainment tourism. It’s an engagement with a crucial historical moment—a recognition that the glittering, morally complicated, culturally fertile world of Weimar Berlin was real, was achieved, and was lost. The surviving buildings, the reconstructed streets on studio sets, and the careful historical research that went into “Babylon Berlin” all serve as testimony to what once existed and what was destroyed.