Lighting of around 100 structures already switched off

The Victory Column is no longer illuminated after dark.

The switch-off of night-time lighting in public buildings and landmarks in Berlin, which began at the end of July, is progressing.

As the environmental administration informed the Deutsche Presse-Agentur, a good 100 of them are no longer illuminated. The aim is to save electricity in the face of an impending energy crisis.

Lighting to be switched off by the end of August

A total of 150 objects under the responsibility of the environmental administration were recently illuminated at least in the evening or at night, as a spokesperson explained. The initially mentioned number of 200 corresponding structures had been communicated incorrectly and by mistake. By the end of August, the process of switching off the lights should be largely completed. Since there is no central control, technicians have to disconnect each individual spotlight from the grid manually.

Spotlights on bridges only accessible from the water

If necessary, some finishing work may still be necessary after the expected completion date, the spokesperson said. This applies, for example, to spotlights on bridges that can only be reached from the water. On 27 July, about two and a half weeks ago, Environment Senator Bettina Jarasch (Greens) announced the shutdown of the night-time lighting. However, it has since turned out that this is not possible for all of the 150 structures in question.

Some buildings remain illuminated

Some, such as the Jewish Museum, the New Synagogue, the Soviet Memorial in Tiergarten or the District Court on Tegeler Weg, will remain illuminated after consultation with the interior administration, the spokesperson for the environmental administration added. The flags in front of and on top of the Red City Hall will continue to be illuminated for reasons of protocol.

Electricity consumption of up to 200,000 kilowatt hours per year

The electricity consumption for the illumination of the 150 buildings, which include the Victory Column, the Berlin Cathedral, the Memorial Church, Charlottenburg Palace, the State Opera House or the ruins of the Anhalter Bahnhof, is about 150,000 to 200,000 kilowatt hours per year, according to the environmental administration. At current prices, that costs 40,000 euros per year.