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Memorial · Berlim, Berlim
Gedenkstätte Berliner Mauer
Main Berlin Wall memorial, along 1.4 km of Bernauer Straße. It preserves a section of the death strip, with a watchtower, chapel and documentation center.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
Discover
About Gedenkstätte Berliner Mauer
Bernauer Straße was one of the most striking points of the division: the houses on one side were in East Berlin and the sidewalk was in West Berlin. When the Wall was erected in August 1961, residents jumped from windows to escape, and later the buildings were emptied and demolished. Escape tunnels were dug under the street.
The memorial occupies a strip of about 1.4 kilometers along the former border. There is a 70-meter reconstructed section with the inner wall, the outer wall and the death strip between them, with the watchtower. Markings on the ground show where tunnels and buildings stood, and outdoor panels tell the stories of people who lived there.
On the other side of the street is the documentation center, with an exhibition about the construction of the Wall and an observation tower from which you can see the preserved section from above. The Kapelle der Versöhnung, the Chapel of Reconciliation, stands where a church once stood in the border strip and was demolished in 1985. The Fenster des Gedenkens, the Window of Remembrance, displays photos of people who died trying to cross.
The outdoor area and the exhibitions are free. At Nordbahnhof station, a small display talks about the ghost U-Bahn stations, through which West trains passed without stopping during the division.
Before you go
Practical information
Cidade Turismo reviews its information regularly, but something may have changed. Check with the place before planning your trip.
How much time to set aside
Allow between one and a half and two hours for the outdoor area, the observation tower and the documentation center.
Best time
The outdoor area can be viewed at any time of day. The documentation center and the visitor center have closing days: check before you go.
How to get there
Nordbahnhof station (S-Bahn) is at one end of the memorial; Bernauer Straße station (U8) is at the other. Tram M10 also runs along the street.
Tip
Start at the visitor center near Nordbahnhof, where there is an introductory film, and walk along the street toward Mauerpark. Finish in the Prenzlauer Berg neighborhood, which lies adjacent.
Official website
Get your questions answered
Frequently asked questions about Gedenkstätte Berliner Mauer
Is there an entrance fee for the Wall memorial?
No. The outdoor area, the documentation center and the observation tower do not charge entry.
What is the difference from the East Side Gallery?
Bernauer Straße shows what the border was like, with the death strip and watchtower, and tells the stories of those who lived there. The East Side Gallery is a section of the wall painted by artists in 1990.
Where can you see the Wall from above?
From the observation tower at the documentation center across the street, which overlooks the reconstructed section.
How to get there?
By S-Bahn to Nordbahnhof or by U-Bahn (line U8) to Bernauer Straße. The M10 tram also runs there.