East Side Gallery

The East Side Gallery, the longest open-air gallery in the world, is located by the remains of the Berlin Wall between Ostbahnhof and Oberbaumbrücke. Its huge murals in partially bright, partially dark colours give visitors a unique insight into the prevailing mood shortly after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. The atmosphere and the hope for change are conveyed via meaningful statements. Every walk along the Wall Gallery with the Spree River in the background reveals further details and new perspectives.

From world history to an art gallery

The East Side Gallery extends over a 1,316m long section of the former Berlin Wall. It was built in 1961 and led to the German capital being divided into East and West. When the Wall fell on 9 November 1989 after 28 years, 118 national and international artists met here the following year to document the events surrounding the fall of the Wall. They created over 100 individual works which captivate people with style elements from Surrealism, political admonitions, appeals, and graffiti art. The paintings stand as a symbol of the joy at the opening, overcoming the Iron Curtain, and the hope for a happy future. Two of the best-known creations are "The Fraternal Kiss" between Honecker and Brezhnev by Dimitri Vrubel and Brigit Kinder's Trabant breaking through the wall. In 1991, this section of the Wall was placed under preservation order.

The East Side Gallery in the present

Over the years, the mural paintings have been exposed to constant weather and faded visibly. They were therefore restored in two stages and partially repainted. The Wall itself also had to be repaired due to corrosion in the steel beams. Today, the works of art on the 3.60m high concrete elements shine in new colours again. More than 3 million people from all over the world visit the East Side Gallery in Berlin Friedrichshain every year. The art mile runs parallel to the Spree along Mühlenstraße between Ostbahnhof and Oberbaumbrücke. The easiest way to get to the two ends of the Wall panorama is by public transport. You can take the train to either Ostbahnhof or Warschauer Straße station. There is also a bus to the open-air gallery: take bus line 248 and get off at East Side Gallery or Tamara-Danz-Straße.

All of Berlin in one ticket

With the Berlin WelcomeCard, you can experience a varied holiday in the German capital with over 200 discount offers with up to 50% savings. This official tourist ticket for Berlin includes a wide selection of sights and guarantees you attractive prices. For example, you can take exciting sightseeing tours with the whole family on the theme of the division of Berlin at a reduced rate and also visit the East Side Gallery. When purchasing the Berlin WelcomeCard, you benefit from free and flexible use of public transport, either in the city of Berlin (tariff zone AB) or extended as far as Potsdam (ABC).