East Side Gallery of the Berlin Wall

The Berlin Wall was a fully enclosed border defense system built by the East German government around the border of West Berlin during the Cold War. It was an important symbol of the division of Germany after World War II and the Cold War. After the news of the opening of the Berlin Wall was announced in November 1989, tens of thousands of citizens took to the streets and dismantled the wall, plunging the whole of Germany into a state of extreme excitement. Later, with the reunification of East and West Germany, the Berlin Wall was dismantled, but a small section was preserved. The East Side Gallery is the longest remaining segment.

The East Side Gallery, a permanent open-air gallery, is located on Mühlenstrasse between Berlin Ostbahnhof and the Oberbaum Bridge along the Spree River, spanning 1.3 kilometers. It can be reached by public transport: S-Bahn lines S3/S5/S7/S9/S75 to Ostbahnhof or Warschauer Strasse station; U-Bahn line U1; tram lines M10/M13; bus 347 to Warschauer Strasse station.

In the spring of 1990, after the Berlin Wall was opened, 118 artists from 21 countries painted on it. They used various artistic means to comment on the political changes of 1989/90. Over time, many paintings at the East Side Gallery suffered severe weathering. After a comprehensive restoration in 2009, some works were preserved.

Walking along the Berlin Wall, one can feel the graffiti's memories and commemoration of history, as well as the belief in and pursuit of peace and freedom. This might be the spirit of Berlin.