Berliner Unterwelten

Behind a green door in Gesundbrunnen U-Bahn station, a world of air-raid shelters, tunnels, and old cellars begins. The Berliner Unterwelten association has been leading tours through these facilities since the late 1990s, recounting Berlin's history from World War II to the Cold War.

Berliner Unterwelten: Tours beneath Gesundbrunnen

Every day, countless passengers walk through Gesundbrunnen U-Bahn station, unaware of what lies behind an inconspicuous green door. There, an originally preserved air-raid shelter from World War II is located, with several floors full of protective rooms. The Berliner Unterwelten e.V. association has been researching such facilities since 1997 and makes them accessible on guided tours.

The tour „Dark Worlds” leads through this bunker, past artifacts from the war, pneumatic tube systems, and old brewery cellars. Other tours go to the Flakturm (anti-aircraft tower) in Humboldthain, where three of its seven floors are accessible, or to the Pankstraße nuclear bunker. This was built in 1977 for 3,339 people and was designed to supply them for two weeks in an emergency.

Tickets, Tours, and What You Should Know

Public tours cost 18 Euros, reduced 13 Euros, and last about 90 minutes. Tickets are only available online; none are sold at the meeting point. Tours are held in German and English. The minimum age is seven, tours are recommended from 14, and the Flakturm tour is for ages 18 and up.

It’s cool underground, sturdy and closed footwear is mandatory. The facilities have many steep stairs and are not barrier-free; photography is not allowed. Additionally, the association presents the exhibition „Mythos Germania” about NS-era urban planning, admission costs 6 Euros.