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Visiting Checkpoint Charlie in Berlin

On our rickshaw tour of the sights of Berlin we briefly took in a stop at Checkpoint Charlie. The Berlin half-marathon was in full swing and it was a little incongruous to see reconstructed guardhouse with actors in uniform waiting to have their photograph taken with you for 1€, with runners streaming past them on both sides.

Checkpoint Charlie on Berlin
Checkpoint Charlie on Berlin

On the boards near the Checkpoint you can find information about the history of the wall which was finally dismantled in 1989, symbolising the end of the Cold War and the re-unification of Germany. During the Cold war, Berlin was divided into the Allied and Soviet zones with checkpoints Alpha, Bravo and Charlie to control movement between them, and Checkpoint Charlie as the main gateway between East and West Berlin.

Unfortunately, we didn’t have time to stop at the small Haus am Checkpoint Charlie museum, but continued our tour down a long cobbled street past the remnants of the wall. The wall itself looked a rather thin strip of concrete although in many places there were two walls with a no-man’s land in between. The guide pointed out the line of dark stones along the road which signifies where the wall once stood. During the 28 years that the wall encircled West Berlin, 200 people are estimated to have been killed trying to flee from East Germany to West Germany.

Remnants of the Berlin Wall
Remnants of the Berlin Wall

As we got to Potsdamer Platz we found a few more sections of painted wall with a thriving tourist industry going on around getting your ‘Visa’ or Passport Stamp for East Berlin. Our girls were entranced by the sales patter from the actors dressed as East German Guards and spent €2 buying their East German ‘Visa’ then posing for photos in front of the sections of wall.

Getting our East Berlin Visas near Potsdamer Platz
Getting our East Berlin Visas near Potsdamer Platz

The one place I wanted to see but ran out of time was the East Side Gallery, where a section of wall has been covered with murals by local street-artists and become an out-door gallery. The gallery was created in 1990 and stretches along the river Spree – the nearest station is Ostbahnhof.

With my East German Visa near Potsdamer Platz
With my East German Visa near Potsdamer Platz

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See my Collection of Berlin photos on Flickr

This article is originally published at Heatheronhertravels.com

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Shehzan azad

Monday 4th of April 2016

Hello Heather,

I have just checked your website. We are publishing interesting facts about various places around the world. Would like to use a picture of the Berlin wall. We would also be interested in linking to you. If you find our website interesting and helpful, please link back to us as well.

thanks for a beautiful and useful website.

Regards.

Heather Cowper

Monday 4th of April 2016

@Shehzan Feel free so long as you credit any of my photos you use with a link back to the site. Thanks

My travelling year in 2009 | Heather on her travels

Friday 8th of January 2010

[...] vibe of Berlin, an ideal city to please the most picky teenager. For more Berlin stories read; Checkpint Charlie and other Berlin Wall stories Blue Glass reflections at the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church Our 36 Hours in [...]

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Thursday 30th of July 2009

Very nice post. Friedrichstrasse Street is famous for shopping.The Potsdamer Platz Arkaden is one of the famous commercial hub in berlin. There are many attractive places in berlin like Film Museum Berlin, Arsenal cinema etc.Don't fail to visit museum island which is a set of five Museums. One can trek up the scenic Victoria Park cross hill located in Kreuzberg for some magnificent sights of Berlin. For more details refer http://www.journeyidea.com/beguiling-berlin-encore-part-i/

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Monday 29th of June 2009

[...] may also enjoy Checkpoint Charlie and other Berlin Wall stories Our 36 hours in Berlin Budget boutique bliss at Circus Hotel in [...]

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Sunday 7th of June 2009

[...] may also enjoy Checkpoint Charlie and other Berlin wall stories Our 36 Hours in Berlin Children at the Holocaust Memorial in [...]