Eisenhüttenstadt

Eisenhüttenstadt is a city of 23,000 people (2021) in Brandenburg. It was founded in the 1950s, and its Stalinist architecture is a major draw for travellers. Many buildings are protected due to their historic and architectural value.

Understand
Eisenhüttenstadt was founded as Stalinstadt in the 1950s in the eastern part of communist East Germany to house the employees of an iron works (Eisenhütte) nearby. It was named after Soviet premier Joseph Stalin. After he died and new Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev dismantled Stalin's cult of personality, Stalinstadt was united with the pre-existing city of Fürstenberg to form a new municipality under the de-Stalinized name of "Eisenhüttenstadt".

The town has had the same problems after 1990 as most towns of its size in the former East Germany, including unemployment, young people moving out, and low birth rates. Its unique history and architecture make it a somewhat undiscovered destination for tourism. While the name may be challenging if you don't speak German, it means "Iron Hut City". Locals often shorten it to "Hütte" in daily conversation.

By plane
The closest international airport is Berlin Brandenburg Airport.

By train
Eisenhüttenstadt is served by regional trains only. If you are already in Brandenburg, a Länder-Ticket may be a good idea. There are direct trains from Berlin, Frankfurt an der Oder and Cottbus.



By car
From the A12 about 28 km south of Frankfurt an der Oder.

Supermarkets
Like most German towns and cities, Eisenhüttenstadt has several supermarkets, with Kaufland being the biggest one.



Go next

 * Cottbus
 * Frankfurt an der Oder
 * If you haven't been to Berlin already, it is about 1½ hr by train
 * The town is right at the border with Poland however the pre-WWII built Oder bridge is still in ruins, so you'll have to go to Frankfurt an der Oder (north) or the village of Coschen (south) to cross over.
 * The Lusatian Lake District is just to the south and west.