SEZ, building complex
The SEZ is a large building complex in Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg with indoor pools, sports facilities, and event spaces. The structure includes swimming pools with a wave pool and water slide, sports halls for basketball and tennis, an ice rink, restaurants, and a bowling area.
The SEZ was built starting in 1978 and opened in 1981 to support leisure and sports for Berlin residents. The complex represented East Germany's ambition to create modern public facilities and symbolized Friedrichshain's development in the 1980s.
The SEZ name stands for Socialist Recreation and Leisure Center, reflecting the state's role in providing public spaces. The complex served as a gathering place for families and athletes from across the district, where people came together to swim, exercise, and attend events.
The location sits on Landsberger Allee, an easily accessible main street in Friedrichshain. Visitors should note that large parts of the complex are now closed or demolished, so it is important to check in advance which areas remain accessible.
The complex could accommodate over 22,000 visitors daily and hosted more than 700 sports and cultural events in single years. Today, the partially demolished building complex recalls Friedrichshain's peak during Berlin's division and the legacy of East Berlin's leisure culture.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
