The Communists made a laudable, if sometimes dubiously conceived, effort at restoring their portion of the inner city, but as one heads toward the outskirts things quickly turn nightmarish. Entire neighbourhoods were flattened (though much of the major work had already been done by Allied bombs) and grim Plattenbau cities erected in their place. Much has been done in the past decade to prettify these areas and make them more livable – with, at best, mixed results. They’re not a complete write-off, however. Treptow, in particular, with its large park, riverside location and fairly low-rise profile, has plenty going for itself and is the most likely of these districts to experience a resurgence. Lichtenberg has a few noteworthy places, and even Marzahn, whose name is a shorthand for these post-GDR wastelands, has a few bright spots – well, at least one.