The now legendary Berlin Wall was an imposing structure which divided East and West Berlin during the Cold War period. Now some parts of the wall are preserved, and it is possible to see them going round the city and thinking about its history. If you are considering a trip to Berlin and are interested in viewing the Berlin Wall, then this guide will provide you a quick look at the best areas for viewing this symbol of the Cold War.
1. East Side Gallery
If you’re interested in Berlin Wall at all, the East Side Gallery is a definite must-see on any trip to Berlin. Also, it is the most intact part of the wall, which covers 1.3 kilometers of the distance. What sets this section apart is that its surface is full of fantastic graffiti painted by artists from different countries. They all have a narrative, one which has reference to the wall and its fall.
In order to reach the gallery on the East Side, you can take S-Bahn to the Warschauer Strasse. You can then take a rather slow stroll around the wall; admiring the great artistry of it all along with the history of it all.
2. The Berlin Wall Memorial and the Exhibition ‘History’
To get into the peripheral details, the Berlin Wall Memorial and Documentation Centre offer a gripping brief on the invention and the effects of the wall. Sited in Bernauer Strasse this is an outside area with a small section of the actual Wall; an investigation piece of the Wall and a hidden beneath area of the Wall.
The visual insight into the human faucet of the on-going conflict provided in the exhibition includes the use of photographs, personal anecdotes and exhibits of other related artifacts. Further, the segment retained to exhibit the walls enables tourism to have physical access to the hurdles and guard towers … a hands-on historical experience.
Visitors wishing to visit the Berlin Wall Memorial and Documentation Centre can use the U-Bahn to Bernauer Strasse station. The memorial can easily be reached just a walk from the station.
3. Checkpoint Charlie
Checkpoint Charlie tell a special story of the Berlin Wall. The bridge connecting east and west Berlin is one of the most famous check points in the cold war period. Now, there is a possibility to see the replica of the checkpoint and find out more on the people who tried to flee to the West.
Although it may become much too kitsch and commercialized, the replica checkpoint does provide at least some insight into life in a divided city. Wandering around the area you will also come across additional information boards which give more details on the story of the Berlin Wall.
4. Mauerpark
However, if you want to feel the real atmosphere of the Berlin Wall and make it more funny and union, hurry up to Mauerpark. This park used to be in the death strip which separated the inner and outer circles of the Berlin wall. Today it ve gotten through the transformation to an active place for people of different ages and even for tourists.
You can actually see parts of the wall inside Mauerpark, the famous Sunday Bearpit Karaoke where people get up on stage and perform like nobody’s watching. It is a beautiful place to feel the pulse of energy and spirit of cities in unity as people do not stop coming.
5. Topography of Terror
While not technically a Berlin Wall museum per se, the head and shoulders above any other attraction for anyone seeking to understand the history of this area is the Topography of Terror. Moving from the Tiergartenstrasse to the Alexanderplatz, this museum looks at the lasting monuments of the Nazi years within Berlin.
The main ideas which are reflected in frames of the exhibition are connected with putting up of the Berlin Wall and the division of the city. If there’s one thing that it does well, it serves as a historical documentary of the political and social environment that stunted Berlin for decades before it built the wall.
Conclusion
Visiting Berlin Wall as a tourist is a quite significant experience, as seeing the fragment of the history when Berlin was divided. When viewing the wall, whether it be the East Side Gallery, the Berlin Wall Memorial, Checkpoint Charlie, Mauerpark or the Topography of Terror, you get different views of the wall.
You may spend much time and efforts to read stories and to explore art related to the Berlin Wall. Analyse on the fact that it greatly influenced the lives of numerous people and stand up for the joy that the people got reunited and change the meaning of the wall from gloomy divider to uniter.