Potsdamer Platz
After the war, Potsdamer Platz, on the border of Tiergarten and Mitte, lay fallow for almost fifty years because the Berlin Wall ran right through it. Since 1998, a complete district covering 68,000 square meters has stood here, through which approximately 100,000 people pass each day. The Panoramapunkt in the Kollhoff Tower takes guests up 100 meters in about 20 seconds.
Potsdamer Platz in Tiergarten: from Border Strip to New District
Potsdamer Platz is located at the interface of Tiergarten and Mitte, just a few minutes from the Brandenburg Gate and the Kulturforum. Its history began in 1838 with the first train station building. In the 1920s, it was considered Europe’s busiest square and received the continent’s first traffic light. World War II rendered the area unrecognizable, and afterward, the German-German border ran straight through it, leaving the square fallow for almost fifty years. Nothing remains of the pre-war buildings, which is why Potsdamer Platz today is primarily seen as an architectural ensemble from the 1990s. After the fall of the Berlin Wall, Europe’s largest construction site at the time emerged here, resulting in a completely new district of around 68,000 square meters on October 2, 1998. Six preserved segments of the wall on the periphery still recall the division, and around 100,000 people pass through daily.
Panoramapunkt in the Kollhoff Tower and Life in the District
The best overview can be found in the Kollhoff Tower, designed by Hans Kollhoff and completed in 1999 after four years of construction. It measures 101 meters and 25 floors, with the Panoramapunkt on floors 24 and 25 situated about 100 meters above the square. You ascend with Europe’s fastest elevator in about 20 seconds, and from the top, the view extends over the Brandenburg Gate, the TV Tower, and the greenery of the Tiergarten. Tickets cost 9.00 Euros, or 7.00 Euros reduced. Below, there are over 130 shops and about 30 restaurants, bars, and cafés, plus a cinema with 19 screens and a casino. Recently, quite a few things have changed: Alte Potsdamer Straße has been car-free for about 450 meters since 2022, the Arkaden became The Playce with its own food hall, and Europe’s first Mission: Play! by Mattel location opened across more than 4,000 square meters. Marlene-Dietrich-Platz is currently still being renovated and is set to receive additional seating and a large rainwater garden. The renovation of the existing district, which includes 17 buildings and approximately 459,000 square meters of gross floor area, once again received the DGNB Gold certificate.
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Erfahrungsbericht vom 28.10.2026
Price level
The square itself is freely accessible. The Panoramapunkt in the Kollhoff Tower costs 9.00 Euros, reduced 7.00 Euros.
Family ticket
For the Panoramapunkt, there is a family ticket for 19.50 Euros for two adults and up to four children. Children up to six years old enter for free.
Public transport
Potsdamer Platz station with S1, S2, S25, S26, regional train and U2, plus bus lines 200, 300, M41, M48 and M85.
Parking facilities
Several multi-story car parks are located around Potsdamer Platz station, including in the Beisheim Center. Rates start at 2.50 Euros per hour.
Accessibility
The square and pedestrian zone are at ground level, the station has elevators. For safety reasons, a maximum of three wheelchairs are allowed on the Panoramapunkt platform at any one time.
Highlight
The six preserved wall segments on the edge of the square.
