If you’re interested in finding the location of the Berlin Wall and experiencing that history, you’ve arrived at the right place. For thirty years, from 1961 to 1989, the Berlin Wall was a concrete barrier separating East Germany from West Germany. It is often regarded as a Cold War symbol of ideology break-up.
History of the Berlin Wall
The Berlin Wall was a construction put up by the German Democratic Republic (GDR) to prevent people from East Germany escaping to West Germany and taking asylum. The wall surrounded totally West Berlin and stretched about 96 miles long.
And the wall was comprised of different barriers, such as concrete walls, barbed wire fences, there were guard towers and there was a ‘death strip’ in which armed guards would patrol. Its purpose was to prevent anyone attempting to pass from East to West.
The Fall of the Berlin Wall
On November 9, 1989, almost three decades on, the Berlin Wall came down. It’s a historic moment in Germany history, a moment of reunification of East and West Germany.
Today only bits of the wall still exist to remind us. Preserved and opened up as open air museums, these sections have been used to educate visitors about the wall’s history and meaning.
The Berlin Wall on the Map
The physical wall was mostly taken down, but you can still visit its historical path and ruins on a map. Many places in Berlin offer a glimpse into the former division:
1. East Side Gallery
One of the best known remaining sections of the Berlin Wall is the East Side Gallery. Running along Mühlenstrasse totaling around 1.3 kilometer, it houses over 100 paintings from around the world.
2. Checkpoint Charlie
Checkpoint Charlie, which found itself located on Friedrichstraße, was one of the best known of the crossing points between East and West Berlin. Today a replica of the guardhouse stands as a major tourist area displaying the historical facts of the wall.
3. Berlin Wall Memorial
There is the Berlin Wall Memorial over on Bernauer Strasse which gives you a complete history of what the wall was, just what it meant. Visitors can see a preserved section of the wall along with a documentation center at an outdoor exhibition.
4. Topography of Terror
An educational and memorial site about the Nazi regime as well as about following years of repression during division of Berlin, the Topography of Terror is positioned in the centre of Berlin. An exhibition about the Berlin Wall is also part of it.
5. Gedenkstätte Berliner Mauer
There are other sites devoted to preserving the memory of the wall – Gedenkstätte Berliner Mauer, or the Berlin Wall Memorial. However, visitors can explore a section of the wall, an open air exhibition, and information point.
Conclusion
Even though the Berlin Wall no longer stands in fact as it once did, its legacy of importance remains. Visiting the other sections and memorial sites will help you get a better feel for the wall’s effect on Berlin and more globally.
When you’re planning a visit to Berlin, don’t miss these spots and get a sense of the history and stories linked to the Berlin Wall.
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