Berlin Wall Sites 2026

East Side Gallery

Between Ostbahnhof and Oberbaumbrücke, the East Side Gallery stands as the longest preserved section of the Berlin Wall: 1.3 kilometers painted by 118 artists from 21 countries in the spring of 1990. Berlin has included the gallery in its list of monuments since November 1991. Among the Berlin Wall sites, it is the most colorful.

East Side Gallery: 1.3 Kilometers of Painted Wall on the Spree

The East Side Gallery is the longest preserved section of the Berlin Wall, stretching for approximately 1.3 kilometers between Ostbahnhof and Oberbaumbrücke. Until 1989, this section was painted white, illuminated, and monitored by watchtowers. Because the wall stood here on the Spree and was along the route for state guests, the GDR built it from the smooth elements of the so-called Border Wall 75 instead of stacked concrete slabs. At least thirteen people died in this section between Oberbaumbrücke and Ostbahnhof.

The idea of turning the wall into a gallery came from artists David Monty and Heike Stephan. From March 1990, Christine MacLean coordinated the project, and in the spring, 118 artists from 21 countries painted the section. On September 28, 1990, the gallery was opened. Approximately 106 large-format paintings were created, including Dmitri Vrubel’s Fraternal Kiss and Birgit Kinder’s Trabant breaking through the wall. Since November 1991, the East Side Gallery has been included in Berlin’s list of monuments.

Preservation of Murals and Visit on Mühlenstraße

For the restoration of the masonry, the paintings were destroyed in 2008 and 2009 and subsequently repainted by many participants, some faithfully, some altered. A small group refused, and their segments remain unpainted to this day. Four artworks were also moved from their original location to the green area to create access roads and a boat landing stage. Only one work survived the renovations in its original state: “Hands” by Margaret Hunter and Peter Russell was not repainted but conservatorially treated. In October 2026, the German Foundation for Monument Protection secured the preservation of this painting with a grant agreement of 13,300 Euros.

Since November 2018, the properties, including the wall elements, belong to the Berlin Wall Foundation. In January 2025, a visitor information center opened in the renovated gatehouse at Mühlenstraße 73, which also serves as a meeting point for all tours. Visiting the gallery itself is free, a public guided tour costs 5 Euros and 3 Euros reduced.

Business Hours

Monday:24 hours open
Tuesday:24 hours open
Wednesday:24 hours open
Thursday:24 hours open
Friday:24 hours open
Saturday:24 hours open
Sunday:24 hours open

Learning Factor

4.5

Educational Counselling

4.5

Wall Firsthand

Contemplation Factor

4.5

Top10 Rating

4.63

Price Level

Admission is free. A public guided tour costs 5 Euros, 3 Euros reduced.

Public Transport

S3, S5, S7, S9 and S75 as well as U1 and U3 to Warschauer Straße, plus Tram M10 and M13. Bus 300 stops directly at the East Side Gallery stop.

Parking Facilities

Public parking spaces on Mühlenstraße. The closest is the Plaza multi-storey car park of the Uber Arena with access on Mildred-Harnack-Straße, a bit further are the Arena multi-storey car park and the East Side Mall multi-storey car park.

Accessibility

The 1.3 kilometers along Mühlenstraße are suitable for wheelchair users; in the green areas, only the upper paths. Visiting with a stroller is unproblematic.

Highlight

"Hands" by Margaret Hunter and Peter Russell is the only painting that has been preserved in its original state from 1990 and was not repainted during the renovations.

Guided Tours

Overview tours last approximately one hour and do not require registration. The meeting point is the visitor information center in the gatehouse at Mühlenstraße 73.