Sophie Gips Höfe Berlin Right in the center of Berlin, the Sophie-Gips-Höfe offer a mix of traditional crafts and contemporary lifestyles in a unique setting. The mix of buildings combines a red brick factory from 1900, Biedermeier-houses and contemporary architecture to create an incomparable atmosphere for working, living and relaxing. The dreamlike village street Sophienstraße is situated in the oldest part of Berlin, in the heart of the revitalized Berlin-Mitte district. Next to the Sophienkirche, Berlin's only remaining Baroque church with its old cemetery, lined by houses dating back several hundred years, Sophienstraße has a reputation that extends far beyond the boundaries of the quarter. Known as a center for traditional artisans, Sophienstraße features flutemakers and bakers, workshops for hand-woven fabrics, art galleries, small inns and a puppet theater. The street is only a ten-minute walk from the "Museum Island" and Alexanderplatz, and three minutes from the subway stations Hackescher Markt and Weinmeister Straße. Cafes, theaters, new galleries and boutiques line neighboring streets and courtyards - such as the prominent "Hackesche Höfe" - in what was once the "Scheunenviertel", the originally Jewish quarter of Berlin, not far from the gleaming golden dome of the restored "New Synagogue". A very lively artscene has developed in this area in recent years. One mainstay of that scene is the SAMMLUNG HOFFMANN in the SOPHIE-GIPS-HÖFE, a private "lived-in" collection of contemporary art. The Hoffmann Collection is open to the public every Saturday, upon appointment (Tel. 0049-30-28 499 120). A private passage way leads from Sophienstraße to Gipsstraße surrounded by buildings displaying a striking mix of architectural styles. The Hoffmanns call this complex SOPHIE-GIPS-HÖFE. The Café Barcomi's in the central courtyard, a bar / restaurant, a gallery for contemporary art, a glass- and a carpet gallery, offices and apartments create a delightfully intimate atmosphere.