The Berlin Wall Memorial

The Berlin Wall Memorial on Bernauer Strasse is Germany's central site of remembrance for the division of the country between 1961 and 1989. It preserves a 1.4-kilometre stretch of the original wall system in authentic form: two parallel wall segments, the death strip between them, a watchtower, floodlight masts, and the gravel patrol strip. The outdoor section is always open and free. The accompanying Visitor Centre on the north side of Bernauer Strasse features two floors of photographs, audio testimony, escape stories, and archival footage explaining how the wall functioned and how it affected the lives of those who lived nearby. A rooftop viewing platform in the Visitor Centre looks directly down onto the preserved wall section. The Documentation Centre at the southern end of the site houses deeper historical research. Embedded into the pavement along the street are names of the confirmed victims who died attempting to cross, and the footprints of demolished houses whose front walls formed part of the barrier. The Chapel of Reconciliation, built in 2000 on the site of the church blown up by East German authorities in 1985, holds ecumenical services and a contemplative prayer room. The memorial is markedly different in tone from Checkpoint Charlie: academic, sombre, and comprehensive rather than commercial. Allow at least 90 minutes to walk the full outdoor section and visit the exhibition. Audio guide apps are downloadable free from the memorial's website.