A must visit when in Berlin. I admired the German that they're acknowledging their past and willing to learn their mistakes. It's a free area that you roamed and see what it's like to be separated by a wall. There is a museum nearby to honored the falling ones. It's a honored to be here and witnessed the history. read more

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Being born in the late 1980s I have heard about the Berlin Wall and it's removal my entire life and I think it's important for everyone older and younger to understand and see the remains of this wall to understand the historical significance of it. It's one of those things that you can hear about it but once you see it, it really paints a more vivid picture. This little memorial is free to enter and has a few parts to it. There is the actual Berlin wall, a park next to it, and a tiny museum with a viewing platform across the street. It's easy to spend less than an hour here, but the memories and thoughts will last a lot longer. I have seen the Berlin Wall before in my travels to Berlin and this time was just as pleasant because I was with people who had not seen it yet. I would definitely recommend to any fan of history, to anyone visiting Berlin, and to local children, who should learn the lessons of what this wall can teach. read more

Gedenkstätte Berliner Mauer - museum + viewing platform - Museums Near Me - Berlin, BE

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A must place to visit when in Berlin. I came at the end of November and there weren't many visitors. I suspect that it's busier in the summer months. I was able to find street parking fairly easily. I only spent about 30 minutes here (had some other places I wanted to visit) but could have easily spent more time here. For me, visiting the Berlin was was a must see! read more

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I would definitely consider this a must-see when in Berlin. It's a nice walk to and from the area. There are tours and lots of visitors around, but the whole area is free and there is a lot of info around so there's no need to book something unless you really want to. It's quite eye-opening to see the area between fences where people tried to escape to freedom, the size and depth of the walls, the difference in architecture from one side of the wall to the other. read more

This is a free open air museum which is an approximately one-mile stretch along Bernauer Strasse where remnants of the Berlin Wall still remain. There are sections where the wall is still standing intact. In some areas the wall is completely gone with only markers showing its place; in some areas the wall is demolished but the steel bars (rebar) still remain. You can clearly see the outer wall and inner wall, with the area in between known as "no man's land" where guard towers were once located. There are numerous pictures and audio tracks along the way to document the history of the wall and all the events and crises surrounding it. There are also plenty of pictures with markers showing visitors their exact locations relative to the days of the wall. The markers along the entire path are very precise, letting the visitor know where they are standing and how east and west were separated at the time. Another section shows the history of the tunnels. People used to be able to escape by crawling through the sewage until the East German Police found out and blocked it off. Then people dug underground tunnels which were the paths of many successful escapes. The locations of a few tunnels were shown there with steel plates on the grass showing the actual paths and directions of the tunnels. It's a humbling, sobering, and enriching experience that motivated me to study the history of the Cold War - something that never quite interested me, until I was able to place my hand on the Berlin Wall, and to touch it and feel it. Berlin. A divided city. 1961 - 1989. read more

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The literal crossing between old east and West Berlin. You put note today that they used to be a wall between the two parts of the city. Which of the walls have been taken down. There's been some sections left up as a relic and reminder of the past history of Berlin. The checkpoint itself isn't much to look at. The best part of checkpoint Charlie in the vicinity are all the remaining walls. Just to see the fortress that was built around the east and west Berlin wall. You could easily spend a couple hours or even longer walking around and checking out all the graffiti on the wall. And seeing the little cracks in the walls that were created by residents on either side trying to see the world on the other side. I do recall seeing rerun of the videos on TV of the wall coming down, it was a historical moment in Germany and Berlin's history. read more

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The outdoor exhibition includes a 60-meter (200 ft) section of the former border. Metal poles also indicate where the original wall once stood. There are stations with photos, videos and audio recordings about the Berlin Wall. The "Window of Remembrance," has pictures of people who died trying to escape across the wall. read more

The Gedenkstätte Berliner Mauer (Berlin Wall Memorial) commemorates the division of Berlin by the Berlin Wall. Erected in 1998 by Germany and the city look for hundreds of upright rods plus a few sections of the original wall stretching along the street and consider downloading a self-guided audio tour for more details. read more

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Captivating. Emotional. Gripping. Moving. Humbling. Heartbreaking. Educational. These are my words to describe the Berlin Wall, formerly in the capital city of Berlin, Germany. On a recent cruise to Northern Europe, we chose a land tour train excursion of the best of Berlin. One of the sites included the outdoor memorial and actual Berlin Wall, also known as the Iron Curtain. This brought back memories, as when I was growing up the 1945-1990 era, which focused on major history in the making. As a consequence of the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II, Germany was divided into two global blocs, East and West Germany. It depicted the political hostility between the Soviet countries and the US-led Western powers. Built in 1961, the Berlin Wall consisted of concrete and barbed wire 100 miles long and 12 feet high that separated East Germany (Soviet-ruled) and West Germany (US/Allied ruled). The wall prevented the East Germans from entering West Germany, where it was more economically prosperous and granted more freedom for its citizens. The wall symbolized the lack of freedom under communism, and the term "Cold War" evolved because of the two powerful political blocs. It ended in 1989 when the last war of Soviet occupation ended in Afghanistan, and the East Germany Communist Party announced that the West Germans could now cross the border whenever they pleased. Today, the Berlin Wall Memorial is an open-air exhibition of the existing wall remnants with rebars sticking out at different places. The remnant wall pieces are included as part of a mile-long display with photos and signs posted, detailing the stories of what life was like on either side of Germany, and the escape attempts the East Germans made to reunite with their families. This visit allowed me to learn: * How the wall was constantly manned and patrolled by soldiers ordered to shoot anyone who tried to cross the wall to West Berlin. * There was an outer wall and inner wall, and in between were 302 guard observation towers. * 239 people died trying to cross the border, with 5,000 people who were successful in escaping through man-made tunnels beneath the ground to the other side. Actual paths of these tunnels were inscribed on the grounds. * Those that died had photos of them with their names were posted onto the wall as a memorial tribute. * West Germany allowed its people to fill their side of the wall with graffiti, whereas, the East Germans kept it graffiti-free. * Germans chipped away at the wall to bring it down, and some even sold remnants on e-bay. Around the corner was a replica of a guard tower named "Checkpoint Charlie," which was a famous watchtower that allowed West Germans to cross over to East Germany by permit to visit their families. Staff was dressed in guard uniforms if you wanted to take pictures with them. But, there were no signs that included a charge if you wanted to take a picture with them. Tacky! The Berlin Wall is a tourist attraction today, and I found it to be educational and poignant in seeing how this one wall made history. It was a symbol of human oppression and inhumanity. I felt compassionate for those who died and think about how trying it was for families living apart. I felt fortunate to be living in the U.S. and how our world powers can dictate our lives. Now I can understand what the Cold War was all about, as I was there, even though it's after-the-fact. One gains a lot more by just being there and experiencing the details of history, instead of just reading it in textbooks and newspapers. Can you imagine that if I knew all of this when I was in elementary school? Gee, I could have aced my history/geography class! "Travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer" - Unknown source. read more

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Visited the outdoor part of this but didn't get to make it to the Visitor Center. However, the outdoor part was very moving and had a lot of important information in it. Walking along the portion of the wall and reading about how the area changed so quickly when the wall was erected, you can really feel how dynamic and frightening those times must have been for the citizens of Berlin. There is an incredibly poignant memorial to the people who were killed at the wall. The unbelievable thing is how young so many people were and that in the late 80's, people were still dying. It is so important to remember the past and I think this memorial, along with many other sites around Berlin, do an excellent job of keeping history alive. read more

The Gedenkstaette Berliner Mauer (Berlin Wall Memorial) was a wonderful free museum commemorating the division of Berlin by the Berlin Wall and the deaths that occurred there. The memorial includes a 200-foot-long section of the wall as it was when the wall fell (which you can see well from the viewing platform at the Documentation Center). Don't miss the Chapel of Reconciliation, a church containing materials from the former Versoehnungskirche, which stood on the site until it was destroyed in 1985 because it was inside the border strip. The Documentation Center contains an exhibit depicting the history of the wall, including biographies of Germans who escaped from the East to the West and those who died trying. The memorial is free and well worth exploring on any visit to Berlin! read more

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Not sure how to capture this review. This was on my list to visit while in Berlin and I am glad that I did. For me it was very moving. Having grown up in the US, I wasn't exposed to how everything happened. I think that they did a tremendous job of showing the history from many different perspectives. read more

Gedenkstätte Berliner Mauer - Museums Near Me - Berlin, BE

On the early morning cab ride from Tegel airport to my friend's flat in Prenzlauer Berg the driver began pointing then shouting, "Mauer! Mauer!" He was doing that thing people do when there's a communication divide, as if saying it louder will somehow help kick into gear the German: English translator resident (not) in my brain. Finally I guessed the only Berlin-ish thing I could think of. "Wall?" I asked and he kept on with the "Mauer! Mauer!" Even though I was right I wasn't certain; it seemed that a cabbie would know the English translation of "mauer" but he did not. I returned days later to this portion of "mauer" which has been turned into an open-air, free museum; a good one from which to gain an understanding of how the wall was erected, what it looked like, and what the people on either side experienced during the time it existed. I began touring this section from what might've been the wrong end of the exhibit but found that it didn't affect my understanding or learnings. The "museum" stretches a good long way along Bernauer Strasse with kiosks, signage, audio posts, and more. The portion where the wall still exists seemed, actually, to be the least interesting part of the tour. During the time that the wall existed, Bernauer Strasse was the site of some of the most tragic scenes. East Berliners jumped from apartment windows, vaulted over barbed wire, and tunneled beneath the streets in an attempt to reach freedom. This is all depicted very well here and, though there are many touring groups which can lead you through a discussion of it all, I found that not necessary at all. It is definitely a place one can tour without a guide and not feel at all short-changed. The exhibit/museum/memorial is outdoors, spread out over a fairly long stretch, and many of the posts are clustered on grass. For this reason, it's not ideal for those with mobility issues or difficulty in standing or walking. I went on a late weekend afternoon, before dark and found it easy to access everything I wanted to view and see and hear. I imagine there are busier times though, so you might want to consider that before heading out. Berlin's East Side Gallery may have the largest continuous stretch of wall but one can walk beside it and learn nothing other than the fact that Berlin has a huge graffiti problem. This exhibit is the polar opposite; I was completely absorbed in the story it told and concluded feeling extremely well informed. If you want to understand how the wall came to be and the impact it had on those living on either side, don't miss this exhibit. read more

Well maintained memorial. There's an indoor free museum and also and outdoor part. In the summer there is a nice grassy area to hang out on. Definitely check it out! read more

Yes, this is a major tourist trap, but I never realized how powerful and moving a memorial could be. This is a must-see if you are ever in Berlin (and you can get here by doing the city tour), but I can just imagine how much of a grim reminder this can be to those who endured the difficult time. read more

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My first four visits to Berlin transpired before 1989 and I remember walking by the (West Berlin) side of the Wall several times (it was impossible to get that close to the Wall on the East Berlin side). During my first visit post-1989 (in 1991), a much more lengthy section of the former Wall was left in place - but now there's only a short section. However, it provides a rather stark sense of what was once in that spot. There are several places where you can hear audio explaining about the Wall. Also, there's a monument with photos of everyone who died while trying to get across the Wall. The Visitors' Center has a very good selection of books. We were there shortly before closing time today and we had a terrific conversation with the man working there. read more

Interesting place, nice memorial for those who died because of the Berlin Wall. There's not too much to see, but there are artifacts left over from the time and many explanations of what went on. There's the inner wall and the outer walls, as the supposed trench area is now where most of the memorial is. There is a visitor center across from the actual memorial. Nice place, but I would only come see this is it were along the way to somewhere else or if I were already around the area. read more

Gedenkstätte Berliner Mauer - Museums Near Me - Berlin, BE

We were a bit rushed getting here at 515 when they close at 6pm. The memorial has two floors of photos and information. I couldn't get to it all but it was very detailed and gave you a lot of history. If you go to the top of observation area, you can see a replica of a watch tower. It's honestly underwhelming compared to walking over there yourself to the park with the wall. On one side of the ground level you have mostly polls remaining from the wall with a couple information posts. The other side was better with a long stretch of in tact wall. Great for picture taking. It also has some information like photos of those who died at the wall while it was active. Considering all this is free, it's a great must do in my opinion on a visit to Berlin. I'd say plan a couple hours total. read more

Gedenkstätte Berliner Mauer - View from observation deck - Museums Near Me - Berlin, BE

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Checkpoint Charlie has become a somewhat tacky tourist spot since the fall of the wall and although the nearby museum is quite informative visiting the site is not as sobering an experience as a visit to Bernauer Strasse. Bernauer Strasse became famous during the first days of the wall (which initially in 1961 consisted of the buildings on one side of this street) as people jumped out of the windows of apartment buildings onto the pavement in West Berlin. In some cases human tugs of war erupted as East German guards leaned out of windows as they struggled to hold onto people being pulled to freedom from West Berliners standing on the path below. (The world's media witnessed much of this drama.) As well as these escapes it was also the location of a tunnel through which 57 people escaped and was where Conrad Schumann, an East German soldier, made his iconic leap over barbed wire. In time this ramshackle wall was replaced with the most famous incarnation that was finally toppled in 1989. On Bernauer Strasse this could only be achieved by demolishing large numbers of houses (in a city that still had a shortage of housing after so much lay in ruins in 1945) along one side of the street and, eventually, a large church. This is also the sole surviving section (albeit partially reconstructed) of the border defences. Visit Bernauer Strasse and view the wall from the nearby viewing platform and the incongruity of this lethal border running through a suburb is. Although the site is still somewhat rough around the edges more permanent visitor centre buildings are apparently in the planning stages. read more

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Touching, emotional and poignant memorial to the Berlin Wall with actual pieces of the wall and pictures of those who perished in an attempt to cross the wall to get to West Germany. Also, there is a visitor center across the street from the memorial which has a excellent short film about the history of the Wall with English subtitles that is well worth watching and another interesting quick film without English subtitles that good as well. read more

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A can't miss sight in Berlin is the Berlin Wall Memorial park. Though traces of the wall still dot places throughout the city, this is the best place to see a full stretch of the wall and read up on the history. Though a sobering sight, it's an important part of history to learn from, and the park manages to combine solemnity and hope for the future in a powerful way. read more

Having been in East Berlin many times in the early 1980s when the wall was up, this area is the real deal. This is the best area to come to see the Wall as it was. This section here has the outer and inner wall still in tact with the "no-man's-land" in between along with a guard tower. You can walk around behind it on the inner wall side and, if you are with someone, give a lift up to see over the smaller inner wall. Also, just across the street is an observation tower that you can use to get a view. The Wall ran along Bernauerstrasse and where it crossed Brunnenstrasse was a checkpoint from the Russian controlled East to the French controlled West sectors. Many great escapes happened along this small area. 3 of the most famous are the East German guard dashing across when no one was looking (look up on the building for the famous picture) and 2 successful tunnels. The guard was able to get across because it was in the early 1960's and the Wall was mostly barbed wire then. The tunnels are marked in the ground by large metal stepping stones showing their direction from East to West. Be sure to walk and see both these areas. read more

Our school group had a tour at the Berlin Wall Memorial and our tour guide was Claudia Bergmann. She was an incredible guide (lasted about and hour) with so much fascinating information. If you can, request Claudia and you won't be disappointed! read more

I own a chunk of morter with a single wire barb in it that I knocked off the top of the first generation wall at Bernauer Strasse in '71. I was on one of the observation stands that used to be spaced along the west side. The wall was still @ 10-12 ft of the original apt building wall with windows and doors bricked up. They had hastily laid morter with pieces of bottles or whatever they could find. It is an incredible memory. The current memorial is in exactly the best place. read more

A great memorial to the Berlin wall and to the people who were killed trying to cross it - very moving museum and documentation centre. A section of the wall is preserved in its entirety along with watchtower, graffiti, and a viewing platform and history. The memorial to the victims is very well done. read more

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You can see remnants of the wall throughout Berlin, for sure. But the Gedenkstätte is where you get a real sense of what it was like to endure everyday life in a divided city. The authorities chose this section of the wall because of how signigicant it was--the wall passed through a parish cemetery, and the site of the original church was in no-man's land. Some subway tunnels passed under the east before they doubled back into the west, and the stations on the eastern side became "ghost stations, bricked up and unused--the nearby Nordbahnhof was one such. This is a touchpoint for any visitor to Berlin who seeks to understand her character and history. read more

A very worthwhile destination in northern Berlin, with a long stretch of the extant Berlin wall, with exhibits, films, and recorded testimonials interspersed throughout the park. Accessible rain or shine. read more

A must do site if in Berlin. The visitor center (across from the S-Bahn station) has a couple of good films (each around 15 minutes) which play in English at half past the hour. The docu center up the street has great interviews with people who lived through Communism and the Wall along the back wall of the museum and then of course there are bits of the wall left. All 3 parts are free. read more

This is my favourite Berliner Wall exhibit. They have recreated the double wall, with a few towers thrown in. The photos and documents are quite impressive. I haven't been since the renovations were completed. It's something I should do soon. read more

An open walk through history, following the trail of the former Berlin Wall. Do visit the Information Centre's top floor to view the reserved part of the death strip. read more