Why go
The documentation centre and viewing platform help read the surviving structures as a complete barrier system. The monument was created in 1998 by the Federal Republic of Germany and the Federal State of Berlin. It is located on Bernauer Straße at the corner of Ackerstraße and includes a chapel on the memorial grounds, the Berlin Wall Documentation Centre, a 60-metre (200 ft) section of the former border, a window of remembrance and a visitor centre.
What to look for
- The preserved border strip on Bernauer Strasse shows the Wall system in its original urban setting.
- The documentation centre and viewing platform help read the surviving structures as a complete barrier system.
The full story
The cost of the competition and completion was 2.2 million Marks. The federal government took over the construction costs, while the state covers the maintenance costs. On 11 September 2008 the Berlin House of Representatives approved the opening of the memorial on the anniversary of the day that the Berlin Wall fell. By 2013, an extension was to be completed. Original relics of the border were to be shown, with missing parts marked in steel on the ground. The memorial was to be divided into four areas: The wall and the Todesstreifen (death strip) Destruction of the city Building of the wall "Es geschah an der Mauer" (It happened at the wall) At the corner of Gartenstraße and Bernauer Straße, a visitor centre was opened.
Useful to know
- Verify current opening hours, closures and timed-entry rules on the official visitor page before setting out.
- Allow extra time for security or ticketing when the visit includes an interior collection or viewing platform.