Be prepared that a lot of the original structures have been moved or destroyed since 1989; most of the original artefacts from Checkpoint Charlie are actually in the open-air ‘Allied Museum’ in Berlin-Zehlendorf.
Between 1949 and 1961, over 3½ million East Germans, many of them young and well-educated, fled to the West. So ferocious was this brain drain that that Walter Ulbricht, the East German leader, coerced the Soviet union into building a wall between the two powers of East and West. The most popular border crossing between the two became known as Checkpoint Charlie, which separated American and Soviet zones.
Today, on a stroll down Friedrichstraße Checkpoint Charlie comes as a sudden, surprising reminder of the turbulent times the city has faced. Halfway down the popular street in Mitte, the former border crossing is commemorated by a open museum.
The name Charlie came from the letter C in the NATO phonetic alphabet, and as the most visible Berlin Wall checkpoint, Checkpoint Charlie has crept into popular culture through its frequent features in spy movies and books.
A famous rendezvous and viewing place for Allied officials, armed forces and visitors alike, the Café Adler is situated right on the checkpoint. It was, and still is, an excellent vantage point from which to look into East Berlin without raising suspicion while having something to eat or drink.
Since communist times, Checkpoint Charlie has become a major tourist attraction. An open-air exhibit was opened during the summer of 2006. Information on the walls of Friedrichstraße and Zimmerstraße inform on escape attempts, its significance during the Cold War, and in particular the confrontation of Soviet and American tanks in 1961 known as the Berlin Wall Crisis.
Explore the very best of Berlin on this full-day private tour of the German Capital including the majestic buildings on Museum Island, the moving memorials to the Holocaust, many haunting reminders of World War 2, as well as the bustling food market near the iconic East Side Gallery commemorating the fall of the Berlin Wall.
On your private tour you will:
Explore the beautiful and buzzing Berlin with an expert private guide on this immersive full-day tour of Germany’s capital city.
Today Berlin is famous for its majestic neo-Baroque architecture, especially on the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Museum Island. You’ll learn about the city’s history from medieval times when it was founded in the 13th Century, through to becoming the heart of the powerful Prussian Empire, later the centre of Hitler’s war machine, then a city divided by the infamous Berlin Wall during the Cold War years to a thriving, modern capital.
The city doesn’t shy away from its dark past. You will see many moving memorials to the Holocaust, including the Holocaust Memorial and the copper “stumbling stones” commemorating Jews who were taken from their homes and deported to the camps. You will also see the Berlin Wall, Checkpoint Charlie, and later in the day explore the iconic East Side Gallery.
Today Berlin has overcome its complicated past and is a thriving metropolis, famous for its alternative fashion, music, film, theatre, dance, art, and digital scene. It has also become a melting pot of multiculturalism which is reflected in its diverse multi-ethnic cuisine.
Berlin is renowned for its turbulent 20th-century history, the Holocaust, and its division between East and West in the aftermath of World War Two by the infamous Berlin Wall. Today, Berlin is a thriving urban metropolis famous for its traditional, contemporary, and alternative music, art, and culture, its many museums and historic monuments, and its delicious, multi-ethnic food scene. Discover the highlights of Berlin on a fascinating private half-day tour of the vibrant German capital city with an expert private guide.
On your private tour, you will:
Explore the beautiful city of Berlin with an expert private guide on this immersive half-day highlights tour of the major sites and a few hidden gems of Germany’s capital. Berlin has a long history dating back to the medieval period; it is a city that has weathered many storms, been humbled, and overcome much tragedy and adversity - especially during the tumultuous 20th century.
The city commemorates the dark days of the Holocaust and the division between East and West with moving monuments and memorials throughout the city - and your guide will show you the extraordinarily emotional Holocaust Memorial as well as what remains of the infamous Berlin Wall and Checkpoint Charlie.
Berlin is also famous for its majestic architecture, housing some true political, cultural, and historic treasures from the parliament buildings, to the Opera House to the prestigious museums, palace, and cathedral on Museum Island - designated a UNESCO World Heritage site.
You’ll learn all about Berlin’s incredible journey from medieval times, to becoming the centre of the formidable Prussian empire, its decimation after the First World War, the rise of Hitler, the uncertain years of the Cold War, and the triumphant falling of the Berlin Wall in 1989.
Today Berlin has overcome its dark past and is a thriving, urban city famous for its alternative fashion, music, film, theatre, dance, art, and digital scene. It has also become a melting pot of multiculturalism reflected in its diverse multi-ethnic cuisine.
Your tour ends with a spectacular view from atop the TV Tower Observation deck from where you can admire the city's stunning architecture and skyline.
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