Berlin Wall Memorial: Remembering a Divided City

Berlin Wall Memorial

Located on Bernauer Strasse, the Berlin Wall Memorial preserves the last remaining stretch of the wall with its original depth, including the death strip, watchtower, and border fortifications.

History

The Berlin Wall was built in 1961 to divide East and West Berlin and stood until 1989. Bernauer Strasse was chosen for the memorial because the street itself once formed the border, with building facades on the eastern side and pavement on the western side.

What to See

• The reconstructed section of the border strip with a surviving watchtower
• The open-air Documentation Center with exhibitions on the wall's history
• The Chapel of Reconciliation, built on the site of a church demolished by East German authorities

Visiting Tips

Entry to the memorial and documentation center is free. The nearby East Side Gallery, a longer painted section of the wall, makes a good complementary stop for visitors interested in the wall's legacy.