Are you in Berlin, Germany? Then be sure to visit the remains of the Berlin Wall, one of the must-see attractions in the heart of the metropolis!
To visit the Berlin Wall is to take a giant leap back in history, in particular to the period following the Second World War, the notorious Cold War. A symbol of the opposition between the Eastern and Western blocs, and the materialization of the Iron Curtain, the Berlin Wall is a world-famous symbol that still raises questions, fascinates and astounds. To help you understand this famous yet little-known landmark, you’ll need to organize your visit, which is why we’ve put together a handy travel guide containing all the practical information you’ll need: a brief history, the major attractions of this landmark of European history, as well as the best ways to get there, times and prices: so, shall we go?
Come and discover the best tips for visiting the Berlin Wall!
History of the Berlin Wall
Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons – Yann
The Berlin Wall (in Goethe’s language, it’s called the Berliner Mauer), officially called the « Anti-Fascist Protection Wall » by the East German government and nicknamed the « Wall of Shame » by the German people, was erected in one night. »was erected in one night, from August 12 to 13, 1961, by the government of the GDR (German Democratic Republic) to halt the emigration of East Berliners – a sector controlled by the Soviet powers – to the western part of the city, controlled by the United States, the United Kingdom and France. Individual freedoms were severely curtailed there, and the inhabitants wanted to benefit from Western economic development!
For more than 28 years, the building physically separated East and West Berlin, tearing apart thousands of families and friends who were forbidden to travel to either side to see their loved ones! The military system included two 3.6 m-high walls, a patrol path patrolled night and day by armed guards, over 300 watchtowers and countless alarms, as well as 600 dogs and 14,000 border guards… all tasked with shooting down fugitives.
The famous « fall of the Wall », which had become a major historical event, took place on November 9, 1989, and the Wall ceased to be an impermeable barrier between Berliners: the reunification of the city had begun! Gradually demolished, only a few traces of this edifice remain in the city of Berlin today, but its stigmata are still clearly visible, and the memories associated with it are still very much alive in the German collective memory.
What to see and do at the Berlin Wall
As you can see, the Wall, almost completely destroyed, is not a tourist attraction that can be visited. Nevertheless, the route of the Berlin Wall is physically represented in the city by a double row of cobblestones! This makes it easy to visualize the Wall’s location, and the route is ideal for visiting the Berlin Wall by bike: a track crosses the city following the Wall’s exact line, and covers more than 160 kilometers including the route of the former GDR border encircling West Berlin. Traces of the Berlin Wall can be seen all over the city, which boasts numerous memorial sites, such as theEast Side Gallery, the longest remaining section of the Berlin Wall at over 1,300 meters; this section of the Wall was decorated by some 100 artists in 1990, and famous works such as the » Fraternal Kiss » between Russian leader Leonid Brezhnev and SED President Erich Honecker can be admired here today.
But you can also discover the former Berlin Wall by walking along Friedrichstrasse, a major cultural and commercial avenue that was once cut in two by the Wall. At the bottom of this street, you’ll see the astonishing Checkpoint Charlie, a checkpoint now converted into a peaceful museum and one of Berlin’s major landmarks, enabling dignitaries and diplomats -only- to travel from one part of Berlin to another. This is where the historic face-off between Russian and American tanks took place during the Berlin Crisis in October 1961!
The Berlin Wall Memorial, on Bernauer Straße in the Prenzlauerberg district of Berlin, is a museum and the ideal place to discover the history, anecdotes and legendary images that have made the Berlin Wall such a landmark! From the museum’s terrace, you can see all the military installations that encircled West Berlin until the fall of the Wall; the site is over a kilometer long! This is certainly one of the most important places to visit when visiting the Berlin Wall, to get an overview of the building and its importance within the Berlin metropolis at the time, and to discover fabulous exhibits, including the border stations and ghost stations of divided Berlin.
Of course, there are many other places to visit when you want to see the Berlin Wall, but these three are undoubtedly the most interesting from a cultural, historical and educational point of view.
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How do I get to the Berlin Wall?
- For the East Side Gallery
Running alongside the River Spree, the historic building can be reached by subway via the U2 line, Warschauer Straße exit. You can also take the M10 streetcar, or the N1, 248 or 347 buses, which stop close to certain sections of the Berlin Wall!
- For Checkpoint Charlie
The venue’s address – Friedrichstraße43-45 –is easy to reach by subway (line U6, Kochstrasse/Checkpoint Charlie stop) or by bus (line M29, Kochstraße stop).
- For the Berlin Wall Memorial
The address– Bernauer Straße 111/119 –is easily reached by urban express train (S-Bahn) on lines S1, S2, S25 and S26; by streetcar on line M10, by bus on line 247 and by subway (U-Bahn) on lines U6 (Naturkundemuseum station) and U8 (Bernauer Straße station).
Berlin Wall opening times & rates
- For the East Side Gallery
East Side Gallery is a gigantic open-air wall, so there’s no actual entrance, and no opening hours, in this monument that’s accessible at all hours of the day and night!
- For Checkpoint Charlie
You can visit Checkpoint Charlie every day of the year – including public holidays – from 9 am to 10 pm. Admission to the museum costs €12.50 per adult, and €6.50 for children aged 7 to 18.
- For the Berlin Wall Memorial
Admission is free; the documentation centers are open from Tuesday to Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., while the exhibitions and outdoor sites are open daily from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.</b.
Book your ticket to visit the Berlin Wall
GOOD TO KNOW
– If you want to visit several parts of the wall in a single day, you’ll need to be in good physical condition, as you’ll have to walk quite a distance to reach the various points of interest.
– All the monuments and cultural sites mentioned are accessible to people with reduced mobility, including public transport, Germany being an example in terms of dedicated infrastructures.
– If possible, don’t come during school vacations or summer weekends… to avoid the crowds at this legendary site!