Berlin is a city with an incredible past and one of the symbols of which was the Berlin Wall. This imposing barrier separated the city from August 13, 1961, until the Wall itself fell on November 9, 1989. Today the wall is not anymore completely standing however there are still about three numerously sites in Berlin where one can feel the wall as well as its history.
East Side Gallery
East Side Gallery happens to be one of the most famous and most visibly vivid parts of the Berlin Wall. Situated along Mühlenstraße in Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg this street art is 1.3 kilometers long, containing more than 100 murals painted by international artists. This is a symbol of reunification and a number of different pieces of art that are meant to commemorate the fall of the wall and liberty.
Memorial Documentation Center
The Bernauer Strasse is home of the Memorial Documentation Center and the exhibit contains general information about the Berlin Wall. This center provides precise information about how the wall was built, the effect of constructing it, and its subsequent demolition. This also includes an outdoor memorial where one can view real parts of the original wall, a Watchtower as well as a border strip.
Topography of Terror
Museum of Topography of Terror is an outdoor museum situated at the site of the former secret state police, Gestapo and SS headquarters. it doesn’t feature the Berlin Wall per se but it does recount the history of Nazi aggression and its aftermaths with the rise and fall of the wall. I think that the exhibition provides great historical background and it is the best place to start that story with the division of Berlin and construction of the wall.
Gedenkstätte Berliner Mauer (Berlin Wall Memorial)
The Berlin Wall is one of the biggest sites whose primary purpose it to maintain and educate people on the presence of the wall. These are the Memorial Grounds at Bernauer Strasse, the Chapel of Reconciliation, the Documentation Centre, and the Window in Memory. Here, one can walk through the elements of the wall; see a memorial; and learn more about the inhabitants of Novgorod before and after the division of the city.
Checkpoint Charlie
Checkpoint Charlie which was heavily stamped with notifications of the intense Cold War, was one of the most popular border between East Berlin and West Berlin. Although, the actual checkpoint booth is in the Allied Museum today, there is one represented in the area. Even though it is one of the tourist points, it gives one a view of the aggressive and limiting environment people endured during the split of Berlin.
Other Notable Sites
Besides the above mentioned areas there are several other part in Berlin where one can still see parts of the wall. These include:
The Berlin Wall Memorial at Nordbahnhof
The former border crossing at Bornholmer Strasse
The wall remains at Mauerpark
Cycling and walking include the use of Berlin Wall Trail.
Conclusion
A powerful part of the experience of exploring the History of Berlin and the Cold War is a tour of the remnants of the Berlin Wall. All of the places listed above are valuable and give their vision of the specific period of Berlin that was divided. This post provides information for those willing to immerse themselves in art or history or anyone who would like to learn more about this colourful city.
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