Seven highlights you need to see at Berlin’s notorious wall

Seven wonders within the Berlin Wall

Between 1961 and 1989, the German Democratic Republic constructed, fortified and guarded the 155-kilometre Berlin Wall, a concrete behemoth that cut the capital in half and separated its citizens. It was a symbol of the Cold War and the division of Germany.

1 Brandenburg Gate

Nowhere represents Germany’s division and unification like this landmark, a large neoclassical monument, topped by a chariot driven by the goddess Victory. Spanning Unter den Linden boulevard, its history traverses Prussian royalty, the Nazis, the wall’s construction (that rendered the gate to “no-man’s land”), and then-US president Ronald Reagan’s appeal to his Russian counterpart, Mikhail Gorbachev, to “tear down this wall”. Many images capture the moment when, on November 9, 1989, framed by this monument, Germans celebrated on the wall.

2 Berlin Wall Memorial

By its geographical fate, Bernauer Strasse divided East from West. These days, for 1.4 kilometres along this street, a range of instalments document locals’ experiences, and plaques indicate many of the tunnels and events here. A memorial displays photos of individuals who were shot, drowned or fell from buildings. From the tower of the Berlin Wall Documentation Centre, you can view a reconstruction of the border installations, complete with watch tower and the “death strip” that’s sandwiched between two barriers; altogether this was The Wall.

3 East Side Gallery

On November 9, 1989, German Democratic Republic minister Guenter Schabowski mistakenly announced that a border crossing would open “effective immediately”. Thousands rushed there, overwhelming guards. The wall was dismantled the following year, except for a 1.3-kilometre section which is now the mural-rich East Side Gallery. One of the most famous features GDR leader Erich Honecker and the Soviet Union’s Leonid Brezhnev, locked mouth-to-mouth. This “socialist fraternal kiss” was a common practice in communist countries.

4 Keiler Eck Memorial (former GDR border troop command post)

Guenter Litfin was the first person to be fatally shot at the Berlin Wall when, on August 24, 1961, he tried to flee East Berlin by swimming across the Humboldthafen harbour. A watchtower, one of 32 command posts that oversaw border troops and organised patrols, commemorates his death. On Saturdays, you can climb the tower to get a sense of what life was like for those guarding, and those being watched.

5 The Reichstag Building

A symbol of unity and democracy, the Reichstag Building is the seat of the German Bundestag, Germany’s federal parliament that returned to Berlin in 1999 (the city was reinstated as Germany’s capital in 1991). The renovations by British architect, Sir Norman Foster, include a massive glass dome that provides a 360-degree vista of the city, as well as a bird’s-eye view of the plenary chamber below (you can tour for free; reservations via bundestag.de).

6 Checkpoint Charlie

The border crossing between the American sector and Soviet-controlled East Berlin was the site of many important events, including the confrontation between US and Soviet tanks in 1961 that nearly led to World War III. These days, the site – guard house, sandbags and signs in the US sector (all replicas) – has been reduced to a popular instagrammers’ prop. The best part is the outdoor exhibit nearby where the historical photos and narratives provide an excellent potted history of the wall.

7 Berlin on Bike – Berlin Wall and Cold War Bike Tour

While you can do the tour on your own, a great way to visit landmarks along the wall is on a tour with Berlin on Bike. You can choose from different wall-related themes. Knowledgeable guides describe the context and background to the major points, from the wall’s no-man’s land (the “death strip”) to guard towers. Along the way, note the double line of cobblestones. These follow the exact route of the former wall.

The writer was a guest of Visit Berlin. See visitberlin.de/en

Sign up for the Traveller Deals newsletter

Get exclusive travel deals delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up now.