The Tegel locality, the second largest in area (after Köpenick) of the 96 Berlin districts, also includes the neighbourhood of Saatwinkel.

Between 1930 and 1934 an artillery firing range in the district was used by the Verein für Raumschiffahrt (Society for Space Travel) for experiments with liquid-fueled rockets.

The principal names involved were its leader Rudolf Nebel and other staff members Hermann Oberth and Wernher von Braun.

One of Berlin's largest shopping malls Borsighallen is located in the former locomotive manufacturing halls of the Borsigwerke.

U-Bahn connection to the inner city is provided by the U6 line with the stations Otisstraße, Holzhauser Straße, Borsigwerke and Alt-Tegel.