Berlin’s Historic Pharmacists’ House Sold in High-Stakes Real Estate Deal
A historic Berlin landmark has changed hands after a competitive bidding process. The Pharmacists’ House, once known as the Polish Pharmacy, was sold by UBS Real Estate to Sonar Real Estate. The seven-storey building on Friedrichstraße carries deep cultural and architectural significance.
Designed between 1898 and 1900 by Alfred Breslauer—a pupil of Alfred Messel—the structure blends historic charm with functional design. Its façade originally featured an eagle in flight, the inscription Polnische Apotheke, and a sandstone relief of Electress Dorothea. During the GDR era, renovations expanded the building but removed these decorative elements.
The lower three floors are marked by sturdy sandstone columns, while the attic once served as the pharmacist’s living quarters. A plaque outside still honours writer Theodor Fontane, who worked there under Apotheker Schacht. Later renamed the TOPAS-Arkade, the 5,600-square-metre property now includes 4,200 square metres of office space and 1,100 square metres for retail and hospitality. BNP Paribas managed the sale through a bidding process. Sonar Real Estate has since acquired the site, citing its long-term value as a prime core-plus asset in Berlin’s central district.
The transaction marks a new chapter for the historic building. Sonar Real Estate now holds ownership of a property that combines commercial potential with a storied past. The future of its architectural details, including the lost eagle and relief, remains to be seen.
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