Berlin Wall: From walled city to world city

The name Checkpoint Charlie comes from the NATO phonetic alphabet (Alpha, Bravo, Charlie). After the border crossings at Helmstedt-Marienborn (Alpha) and Dreilinden-Drewitz (Bravo), Checkpoint Charlie was the third checkpoint opened by the Allies in and around Berlin.

At the time Berlin was divided, the site of the park was the border strip of the Berlin Wall and the area was off limits from 1961 to 1989. After reunification the no-man’s-land become a public park. After reconstruction work overseen by landscape architect Gustav Lange, the Mauerpark was officially opened exactly 5 years after the Wall fell on 9 November 1994.

At 1316 metres long, the open-air art gallery on the banks of the Spree in Friedrichshain is the longest continuous section of the Berlin Wall still in existence. Immediately after the wall came down, 118 artists from 21 countries began painting the East Side Gallery, and it officially opened as an open air gallery on 28 September 1990. Just over a year later, it was given protected memorial status.

In The Wall Museum, right next to the Berlin Wall in the former death strip, visitors experience the history of the division of Berlin and the most beautiful event of the Germans - the fall of the Berlin Wall, staged using multimedia and with a common thread from the construction of the Wall to its fall in 1989. The Mauer Museum is located in the former mill warehouse at the famous East Side Gallery and the Oberbaumbrücke border station.

The causes, history and consequences of the construction and the demolition of the Wall are depicted chronologically in texts and illustrations. These are supplemented by comprehensive source material...

Around 2.7 million people left the GDR and East Berlin between 1949 and 1961, causing increasing difficulties for the leadership of the East German communist party, the SED. Around half of this steady stream of refugees were young people under the age of 25. Roughly half a million people crossed the sector borders in Berlin each day in both directions, enabling them to compare living conditions on both sides. In 1960 alone, around 200,000 people made a permanent move to the West. The GDR was on the brink of social and economic collapse.

Of course we hope that you will truly enjoy your stay in Berlin. But sometimes work has to be done too. For those of you who want to combine your visit to Berlin with a remote office, we have put together a list of coworking spaces and laptop cafés...

Our city guides have been in action on Kurfürstendamm and Tauentzienstrasse since autumn 2019. In teams of two, they run through the BID between 9:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. and head to popular points of contact. In several languages, they provide visitors with information on everything to do with Ku’damm, help with orientation and answer questions. They not only make City West friendlier, they also give it a face.

Berlin is a magnet for people. And many come by train. The city is so big that long-distance trains stop in many districts. In addition, the major Berlin train stations have always gained and lost importance in the history of this city. We give you an overview of the most important Berlin train stations.

Please check for travel restrictions before booking and travelling to an accommodation. Travel may be permitted only for certain purposes and in particular, touristic travel may not be allowed...

Sometimes while on vacation you want to sit back, relax and enjoy a drink or two. Whether you are sampling the local Bavarian beer selections in Germany, wine in Bordeaux, France or aquavit in throughout Scandinavia it is always a good idea to make sure that you are familiar with the local laws when it comes to drinking and driving...