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Explore the rich history of Berlin with this guide to the 13 top historical places in Berlin every visitor should see at least once.
For those who may be unaware, Berlin has a rich and complex history dating back centuries. It was originally a small fishing village, but it grew to become the capital of Prussia and later the German Empire. During World War II, the city was heavily bombed and divided into East and West after the war, with the East becoming the capital of communist East Germany and the West becoming the capital of democratic West Germany. In 1989, the Berlin Wall fell, marking the end of the Cold War and the reunification of the city. Since then, Berlin has undergone significant redevelopment and is now a major cultural and economic center in Europe.
The dark history of this city can be seen all around as many historical sites are still intact to remind visitors of the terrors of the past. While there are many historical places in Berlin, but this guide will focus on the top 13 historical sites. Some will relate simply to historical buildings, while others will act as reminders of the wars this country has endured.
Berlin has so much to offer that it is impossible to cover it all in one guide. Therefore, you can also find other guides showing you alternative sites and street art below.
Read More: Best Places To See Street Art In Berlin
When To Visit?
Since the city had to rebuild most of itself after the Second World War, Berlin is not as pretty a capital as some other European countries. Therefore, I highly encourage you to visit during the summer, when the greenery livens up the city. Although Berlin is popular among tourists, the city is so large that you can still visit during the peak season and enjoy your time!
The currency here is the Euro and a general rule here is that cash is always preferred. While some newer cafes will only take card payments, the majority of places still prefer cash and may even refuse a credit card. Therefore, make sure you always have some cash on you.
This post is all about the 13 must-see historical places in Berlin.
13 Historical Places in Berlin, Germany
1. Brandenburg Gate – the most historical place in Berlin
Also known in German as Brandenburger Tor, this is one of the most iconic and historical landmarks in Berlin. Created in the 18th century, this gate symbolizes hope. The Brandenburg Gate has often been a big symbol in Germany’s history. During the Second World War, the gate was used as a place for speeches and rallies. Furthermore, in the Cold War, the gate stood on the border of the wall, on the East side of Berlin.
Nowadays, everyone is free to walk under the gate and marvel at the structure. It symbolizes a unified Germany and the fall of the Berlin wall. Every year, the largest New Year’s Eve party happens by this gate as a symbol of a free Berlin.
When visiting, I encourage you to look up some photos of how the gate looked throughout history. Compare those images to the gate you see in front of you and imagine how many historical moments, both good and bad, have happened here. Honestly, it gets a bit overwhelming thinking about it, but also makes the whole experience even more incredible.
2. Berlin Wall
When in Berlin you MUST see the Berlin Wall. Now there are actually different places where you can see the wall but I will focus on the part in the East Side Gallery. Other places to find the wall are at the Topography of Terror (will talk about it later) and sometimes in exhibitions at Potsdamer Platz.
The East Side Gallery is a permanent open-air gallery of the Berlin wall. The gallery continues for around 1.3 km and is the longest continuous section of the wall that is still in existence today. Get to Ostbahnhof station to find the beginning of the wall and walk along it to the Oberbaumbrücke bridge. The gallery opened in 1990 after various artists from around the world came to contribute to it. The murals mostly represent the way these artists saw the political changes after the fall of the wall, and in general feelings regarding the Cold War. A particularly popular mural here is one by Dmitri Vrubel where Brezhnev (General Secretary of the Soviet Union) and Honecker (General Secretary of the GDR) are kissing.
While the murals were painted in 1990, many have undergone several restorations. This is because since it is outdoors, the paint wears out and needs to be restored every few years. Although this, there is one mural that is still the original version painted in 1990. This spot offers the best of both worlds. It includes beautiful art for all to enjoy while showcasing the harsh history of the Cold War.
Extra pro tip for historical places in Berlin:
when walking around Berlin, make sure to look at the ground. The placement of the Berlin wall is marked along the entire city. Simply pay attention, and look for plaques like the one in the photo below! Keep in mind that in some places the spree river was seen as the border and so you may not be able to spot the exact placement of the wall.
3. The Reichstag Building
The Reichstag is the German Parliament building. First built in 1884, the Reichtag has been through the majority of Germany’s History. Although it was mostly bombed in 1945, the Soviets were the first of the allies to reach the parliament building and raise their flags on the roof. On their way to the top, many Soviets left graffiti on the walls with their names, etc. A lot of this is still preserved today as a reminder of this part of history.
You can take a free 90-minute tour of the Reichstag when you visit Berlin, including a visit to the famous dome. The dome is the latest addition to the building which visitors can climb to get views over the city. Furthermore, it sits right above the chamber of the German Bundestag. This is an intentional reminder to the people of parliament, that they are working for the German people.
Everything in the parliament building is very open and transparent, a contrast to the dark decades in the past. I highly encourage you to book this FREE and extremely informative tour. While you may think that the Reichstag is just a parliament building, I assure you that it is so much more than that. These tours are rather popular and need to be booked around 1-2 months in advance. Here is a link to the official website, through which you can book both tours and dome visits.
4. Checkpoint Charlie
Checkpoint Charlie is the best-known checkpoint for crossing between the East and West sides of Berlin during the Cold War. The guard house that can be found here is actually a replica of the original, which is on display at the Allied Museum.
Next to the guard house, you can find a picture of an American soldier facing the East, and a Soviet soldier facing the West. These are not soldiers which played a significant role in the fall of the wall, but simply ones whose photos had been taken.
Although there isn’t much to do here, Checkpoint Charlie is a must-see when visiting historical places in Berlin.
5. The Holocaust Memorial
The Holocaust memorial is also called the Memorial for the Murdered Jews of Europe. This memorial was created by Peter Eisenman in 2005. The memorial lies centrally, just a two-minute walk from Brandenburg Gate.
The memorial is made of uneven sizes of concrete slabs, which get larger as you reach the center. In addition, the floor is uneven throughout all of the pathways. When nearing the center, it creates a sort of maze, through which you cannot see the city beyond. The artist has never offered explanations, to let each visitor create a meaningful representation for themselves. However, I know from personal experience that this can be hard. Some possible interpretations include the feeling of uneasiness and uncertainty with the crooked floor. However, the sharp edges of the slabs offer certainty, that this atrocity did happen. Furthermore, the slabs are short at the edges and get higher and higher around the center. This may symbolize the scale at which the murders happened. In the beginning, it was rarer, but as the war began, the killings became of a massive scale.
Other Important Memorials To See:
Although the Jews were one of the biggest groups to be persecuted during the war, they weren’t the only ones. There are several other memorials around the Reichstag every visitor should check out as well. These include the memorial for the Sinti and Roma, members of the Reichstag, Homosexuals, and Soviets. All of these memorials can be found in the surrounding area.
6. Topography of Terror and Unterwelten
The Topography of Terror is an open-air museum using the Berlin Wall as a backdrop. It aims to educate visitors on the complex history of Berlin. In doing so it touches on early life, to the two major wars which occurred here. It is free to visit and I highly recommend doing so. Not only is it a great way to experience the history of Berlin, but it helps to put the different events into an organized timeline.
Unterwelten means “underworld” in German. Just like it sounds, this is an underground museum that focuses on German history which can be found under Berlin. Although the focus is on World War II bunkers, they offer several tours which you can check out here!
7. Berlin Cathedral
The Berlin cathedral, or locally known as Berliner Dom lies on Museum Island. The church was built to be the German version of the St. Peters Basilica in the Vatican. If you would like to visit the cathedral, then you have to pay an entrance fee of 9 euros. This fee enables you to both admire the church from within, and to climb to the top for views over the Berlin skyline. If you would like a guided tour, that can be arranged as well, and you can read more about it here.
Personally, I have not been inside the cathedral. A little pro tip if you are considering it just for the climb up – I have another spot for free. Just across from the cathedral, you can find Humbolt Forum. It is free to visit their rooftop balcony as long as you reserve spots in advance. Although it is not as tall, you get to enjoy views of the cathedral and surrounding landmarks.
8. Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church
This church is not only beautiful, but it is famous because it was badly bombed during the Second World War. The only part of the church that remains today is that underneath the bell tower. Although the ruins left are mostly intact, the top spire has been damaged and kept as a reminder of the war. Nowadays, a memorial church has been built next to the ruins. I highly encourage you to visit this landmark, which is one of the only historical sites in West Berlin. It lies right at the edge of the famous shopping street Kürfürstendamm and hosts a large Christmas market every year.
9. Charlottenburg Schloss
First established to house the Queen of Prussia, Charlottenburg Palace is one of the most impressive buildings to be found in Berlin. You may visit the inside of the palace for an entrance fee (starting at around 12 euros). However, if you simply want to visit the castle gardens and admire the architecture, then you may do so free of charge. In the wintertime, a beautiful Christmas market can be found here.
10. Victory Column
The victory column stands at the center of Tiergarten. At the top, you can see Victoria the goddess of Victory, which stands to commemorate Germany on its victories over Denmark, Austria, and France. It costs 4 euros to enter, however, it is definitely worth it. On the first floor, there is a museum with general facts about Germany. If you don’t mind a little workout, then you can climb the stairs to the top and enjoy my favorite view over Berlin. You can see all of the important landmarks in the landscape in front of you, as well as enjoy the beautiful greenery from Tiergarten. Luckily this spot doesn’t have as dark a history as some of the others, but it is definitely one you should put on your list of historical places in Berlin.
11. Book Burnings Memorial
On May 10th, 1933 over 25,000 books were burned under the Nazi regime. These books were deemed as anti-national and were mainly educational works. One of the central burning sites was in front of Humbolt University in Bebelplatz. To remember this night, a memorial has been placed in the center of the square. Here you will find a transparent square glass looking into an underground room. Lining the walls are white empty bookshelves. This memorial acts as a reminder of the hole left without culture and education. It reminds humanity that without culture we have nothing, no hobbies, no traditions, and frankly, no society.
12. The DDR Museum
The DDR Museum is an interactive museum, paying tribute to life in East Berlin during the Cold War. While there are lots of memorial sites around the city, it is often intriguing for visitors to imagine how life in the East must have been. The museum covers a range of topics from everyday life, to the Stasi and more. For more information regarding opening times, and exhibitions, click here!
13. Hitler’s Bunker
Also locally known as Fürherbunker, this is where Hitler famously spent his last days before committing suicide. Funnily enough, the bunker has been converted into a parking lot for the surrounding apartments. Although there is nothing physical to see here, there is an informational sign. The bunker is located just across from the memorial for the Jews and makes for an interesting quick stop simply to see where the bunker was located.
As you can see, there are many historical places in Berlin. At the end of the day, the history in Berlin is so rich you could spend years studying it. Therefore, I have combined the top 13 sites which capture different aspects of this unique city.