Attraction
Brandenburg Gate
Berlin's best-known landmark, a neoclassical gate completed in 1791 and crowned by the Quadriga, which stood beside the Wall until it reopened in December 1989.
Berlin Wall Memorial
The central memorial to the division of Berlin, set along Bernauer Strasse with a preserved section of Wall, border strip, watchtower and free exhibitions.
At a glance
- Type
- Memorial and open-air history site
- Area
- Mitte, Berlin, Germany
- Official site
- stiftung-berliner-mauer.de
Good to know
- Free entry
- Outdoor exhibition
- Visitor centre
- Documentation centre
- Observation tower
Why we recommend it
The Berlin Wall Memorial on Bernauer Strasse is the best place in the city to understand what the Wall actually was. During the division, the border ran along this street: the houses on one side were in East Berlin while the pavement in front of them belonged to the West, and in August 1961 residents escaped by jumping from their windows. The memorial, created by the Federal Republic and the State of Berlin, stretches along the former border strip and is run by the Berlin Wall Foundation.
Its centrepiece is a preserved section of the Wall about 60 metres long, with the border strip behind it still intact, including the patrol road and a watchtower. Seen from the observation tower of the Documentation Centre, it shows clearly how deep and layered the border was, rather than a single wall. Along the rest of the site, rows of steel rods mark where the Wall once stood, and markers in the ground trace escape tunnels and the remains of buildings.
The outdoor exhibition explains events at each point along the street, and the Window of Remembrance commemorates people who died at the Wall, with their photographs and names. The Chapel of Reconciliation stands on the site of a church that was in the border strip and was blown up in 1985; the new chapel incorporates material from the old one. Indoors, the exhibition 1961 | 1989 The Berlin Wall in the Documentation Centre tells the wider story, and the Visitor Centre at the corner of Gartenstrasse has information, films and a shop.
Admission is free, and the outdoor areas can be explored at your own pace. Allow around two hours to walk the full length and see the indoor exhibition; a smartphone guide is available from the foundation. The site is serious but accessible for older children, and the paths along the strip are mostly level. The foundation also offers guided tours and educational programmes, which can be booked in advance.
Nordbahnhof S-Bahn station is at the western end of the site, and Bernauer Strasse U-Bahn station (U8) is at the eastern end, so you can walk from one to the other. Mauerpark, with its Sunday flea market, is a short walk further east along the former border, and the cafés of Prenzlauer Berg and Mitte are close by.
Berlin Wall Memorial FAQs
Is the Berlin Wall Memorial free?
Yes, admission to the memorial and its exhibitions is free.
What can you see there?
A preserved section of Wall with the border strip and watchtower, the outdoor exhibition, the Window of Remembrance and the Chapel of Reconciliation.
How long should you allow?
Around two hours to walk the site and visit the Documentation Centre.
Where does the visit start?
The Visitor Centre is at the corner of Bernauer Strasse and Gartenstrasse, near Nordbahnhof station.
Which stations are closest?
Nordbahnhof on the S-Bahn and Bernauer Strasse on the U8.
Is there a viewing point?
Yes, the observation tower at the Documentation Centre looks over the preserved border strip.
Are guided tours available?
Yes, the Berlin Wall Foundation offers tours and educational programmes that can be booked.
Is it suitable for children?
Yes for older children, as the site is outdoors and explains the history clearly, though some stories are sad.