Survey: Berlin is losing its shine as Germany's most fascinating city

Background of the survey

Hamburg evidently benefits in respondents' perception from its maritime flair, the Elbphilharmonie, and an urban infrastructure considered manageable. Munich, in turn, scores with economic strength, Bavarian lifestyle, and proximity to mountains and lakes. Both cities combine attributes that Berlin has increasingly lost in public perception.

It is noteworthy that, despite its third place, Berlin still retains a sizeable group of admirers. With 34 percent, the city lags significantly, but at least almost every third respondent sees something special in the capital. This shows that the metropolis's shine has not been extinguished, but has faded compared to earlier years.

Reasons for the perceived loss of image

In the discussion of the causes, observers point to several factors. The city has long been struggling with problems in housing supply, administration, and public safety. These issues have shaped Berlin's image in the media in recent years and may contribute to the fact that the former aura of the "arm, aber sexy" city, once coined by the former Governing Mayor Klaus Wowereit, is waning in public perception.

At the same time, Berlin continues to face the challenge of repositioning itself. Other German cities such as Frankfurt or Cologne have also gained in attractiveness in recent years, without, however, overtaking Hamburg or Munich in respondents' favor. The competition among metropolises for attention, skilled workers, and investments has thus intensified.

For those in political responsibility in the capital, the survey sends a clear signal. If Berlin continues to slip in the ranking of most fascinating cities, tourism, in-migration, and economic strength could suffer in the long term from the fading image. The coming years will show whether the city can regain profile and appeal with new concepts.

Significance for city politics

The Allensbach survey is based, according to the institute, on a representative poll of the population in Germany. It is part of a series of surveys in which the subjective perception of German cities is regularly recorded. The shift at the top is therefore interpreted by opinion researchers as a notable change in mood.