Photo Gallery Problematic Postwar Architecture
Castles, half-timbered houses, medieval city centers: The image of German architecture abroad is often one of bucolic romanticism. But that's only half the truth. Postwar reconstruction happened in a hurry, and some of the results, like this residential high rise in Cologne, are not pretty.
Many German cities were flattened during the war and opted for a modernist architectural style when rebuilding. Some of the designs haven't aged well. This image is from a residential district in Hamburg.
After the war, Germany sought to build cities that were more spread out and compatible with the growing use of automobiles. Now, however, many would like to see a return to the cozy city centers of old. Here, a residential high-rise in Kiel.
More than 2.5 million of Germany's 16 million apartments were destroyed in the war with a further 4 million rendered virtually useless. In the hurry to provide housing, some mistakes were made -- like this residential district in Berlin.
Gropiusstadt, a high rise residential district in Berlin, was considered ultramodern when it was built. Now, few are interested in living there.
Many of Germany's postwar residential districts look the same, with high rises jutting into the sky. This image is from Nuremberg.
In the 1960s, West Germany was building an average of 570,000 new apartments each year, with a record 714,000 going up in 1973. Residential high rises were all the rage. Here, the Grindelberg quarter in Hamburg.
