Berlin Wall Memorial
The Berlin Wall Memorial (Gedenkstätte Berliner Mauer), not to be confused with the East Side Gallery, is an open air memorial running alongside Bernauer Straße. This memorial will give you a real sense of what it was like for the people who lived next to the wall as it went up. You'll also learn how a number of them escaped.
Located at the corner of Ackerstraße, it is the only remaining portion of the wall where the border grounds have also been preserved.
Here you'll find not a section of the Berlin Wall, but also the inner wall, signal fence, border control road and guard tower, all used to deter anyone from trying to cross.
Don't miss the Visitor Centre and the Documentation Centre complete with a viewing platform. They are located across the street in the area that belonged to West Berlin when the city was divided. Entry to these is free and the multimedia experience is enlightening and well worth seeing.
On the border grounds you will find the Chapel of Reconciliation and also the foundation of an apartment building whose facade served as a portion of the wall until the early 1980s.
This area is also where the first chunks were broken off the Wall on the historical nights of November 10th and 11th 1989.
Facts For Your Visit
Fee: NoBerlin Wall Memorial (Gedenkstätte Berliner Mauer) Hours:
Opening hours may differ on holidays
- Monday: 8:00 AM – 10:00 PM
- Tuesday: 8:00 AM – 10:00 PM
- Wednesday: 8:00 AM – 10:00 PM
- Thursday: 8:00 AM – 10:00 PM
- Friday: 8:00 AM – 10:00 PM
- Saturday: 8:00 AM – 10:00 PM
- Sunday: 8:00 AM – 10:00 PM
Address: Bernauer Str. 111, 13355 Berlin, Germany
Phone: 030 213085123
Official Website: Berlin Wall Memorial (Gedenkstätte Berliner Mauer)
Berlin Wall Memorial (Gedenkstätte Berliner Mauer) Reviews
Rated out of 5
I stopped by on the way to Mauerpark, getting off one station earlier to take a look around. The striking structures and murals were very memorable. It would have been even better if I had known more about the history beforehand, since understanding the background gives the place much more meaning. With both tourists and locals out for a walk, it was a really pleasant area to stroll through.
Hyungseok Lee - 2 weeks ago
Easy to access by public transport and well organized for visitors.
Please be careful with people claiming to be from a “German foundation.” Their approach and appearance did not feel convincing. They asked me to sign a paper, and I was unsure what would happen next. Thankfully, I managed to say no and walk away.
The memorial itself is priceless and deeply moving. Along the site, you will see many portraits with dates of birth and death. These are peoples who lost their lives while trying to escape from East Germany to the West. Seeing their faces makes the history feel very real and personal, not just something from a book.
I strongly recommend coming with at least a basic understanding of the historical background so you can truly relate to what you see and feel.
There are also audio and video materials available on site, played through devices provided at certain points, along with historical photos that help bring the story to life.
A powerful, reflective place that leaves a lasting impression.
Ivy Prita - 2 months ago
It was hard to get to because GPS was all over the place but once you get here, it's a well maintained historical type park. Every step there is an explanation or a story about the people who lived in the area before and after the walls went up. They were nice enough to have English translations. The stories of the the people's struggles with examples of their determination to be with the ones they loved were sadly inspirational and thought provoking.
Suzanne Ringle - 3 months ago
Incredible place to understand Germany's history especially when there was an East & West Berlin. The lives that these people lived during that era and the atrocities faced, is very fascinating to learn about
Roshan George - 3 months ago
The memorial has a tower from where we can see the remain partition. Very insightful place lot of information about the Berlin wall history
anuraadhaa srinivasan - 2 months ago
Directions
How to get to Berlin Wall Memorial (Gedenkstätte Berliner Mauer) by U-Bahn, S-Bahn or MetroTram
Nearest U-Bahn, S-Bahn or MetroTram Line(s): S1, S2, S25, U6, U8, M10
Nearest U-Bahn, S-Bahn or MetroTram Station(s): U Bernauer Straße, S Berlin Nordbahnhof, U Schwartzkopffstraße
From Berlin Nordbahnhof: Exit to your right and go north through Elisabeth-Schwarzhaupt-Platz (plaza), right on Julie-Wolfthorn-Straße and continue on Bernauer Straße.
From U BernauerStraße Station: on U8 exit and go left onto Bernauer Straße where you can walk for about 8 minutes or wait for the M10 Tram and ride for about 1 minute followed by an additional brief walk.
From Schwartzkopffstraße Station: on U6 exit and head southeast on Chausseestraße, left on Schwartzkopffstraße, continue on the path into the park, go right on the next path in the park and follow it to Bernauer Straße and go left.
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Photo Gallery
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Photo Credit: August Brill - cc license via Flickr
