Once a corner of East Berlin that was home to many of the Communist government leaders, Pankow is now one of the boroughs that make up the reunited Berlin. It was originally a small village named after the nearby Panke River, which flows into the mighty See. In the 19th century, it was a popular day trip for the upper crust of Berlin. Today, a Pankow hotel will put you close to some of the fascinating places that make up this district, including Majakowskiring Street, where the East German government members had their homes. As well, this district is home to the Rykestrasse Synagogue, which is the largest synagogue in all of Germany. If you chose a Berlin hotel in Pankow, you will also be close to where the Berlin Wall divided the city for a generation, but today, a number of trams bring people freely across town, so you will be able to access all of Berlin's famous attractions from here. Some of the excellent sites in the district itself include the famous Pankow Church, the Gothic church of St. George and the canal of Blankenburg.