SITES

History: A checkpoint established in August of 1961, it served as a passage for Allied personnel, diplomats, and foreigners between the divided city of Berlin. It was established by the German Democratic Republic, or East Germany, to stop East Berliners fleeing to West Berlin. This was because of the higher quality of life and living conditions in West Berlin at the time. The checkpoint got its name from the NATO Phonetic Alphabet, (first being Alpha, second Bravo, third Char

History: The Topography of Terror is built on the same site as the Nazi Schutzstaffel (SS) and Gestapo headquarters. An image of the former SS and Gestapo Headquarters. Allied bombing ruined the site, and the Berlin Wall was built beside it from 1961 to 1989. It was left alone until an exhibition in 1987, when its historical significance was revealed. The Topography of Terror Foundation built the Documentation Centre in 1992 on the same site, featuring multiple exhibitions o

History: The call for a memorial for the Jews existed since the 1980s, but a memorial wasn’t approved until June of 1999. Peter Eisenman designed the memorial, which contains 2,711 concrete slabs across a 1.9 hectare field. The design is meant to encourage personal reflection without specific interpretation. An information center was also included in the plan, which provides historical context about the atrocities of the Nazis. Construction of the memorial started in April 20

History: Brandenburg Gate was built between 1788 and 1791 for Frederick William II of Prussia. The gate was designed by Gotthard Langhans. Its model was inspired by the Propylaea at the entrance of the Acropolis in Athens, Greece. In 1793, the gate was crowned with a statue called the Quadriga, a chariot drawn by four horses. When Napoleon invaded Prussia, he took the Quadriga to Paris as a war trophy. After Napoleon’s defeat, it was taken back to Berlin, and an Iron Cross an

History: The German Spy Museum was founded by former journalist Franz-Michael Günther, and opened in September of 2015. It is meant to reflect Berlin’s status as the “capital of spies” in the Cold War. It temporarily closed due to financial issues, but reopened on July 29, 2016. The museum’s focus is the Cold War, but it covers other eras, from the Roman period to the modern day. The Deutschland Museum is its sister museum. At the German Spy Museum, you can see what the Roman

History: Hitler’s bunker consisted mainly of two parts: the Vorbunker, built in 1936, and the Führerbunker, built in 1944. A map of Hitler's Bunker. Hitler moved into the bunker on January 16, 1945, as Allied and Soviet forces closed in on Berlin. From the bunker, Hitler micromanaged defenses, rarely leaving the bunker except for an appearance on his 56th birthday. On April 30, 1945, after hearing about Benito Mussolini’s execution, he shot himself. After Soviet forces captu

History: Founded by Robert Rückel, it was first developed by historians and creatives in late 2022. The museum opened on June 17, 2023. The designers aimed for a time travel experience, as it uses projections, realistic setups, and interactive elements in an effort to immerse you in the 12 eras of Germany.  A interactive map of the unification of Germany. The 12 eras the Deutschland Museum covers are the Tribal Ages, the Early Middle Ages, the High Middle Ages, the Reformatio

History: The Reichstag was originally constructed between 1884 and 1894 by architect Paul Wallot to house the German parliament. The words “Dem Deutschen Volke” were added to the facade in 1916, symbolizing that the German government serves the people. After the First World War, it was the site where Philip Scheidemann proclaimed the Weimar Republic, which marked the end of the German monarchy. During the Weimar Republic, it served as the German parliament building. A fire da

History: Sachsenhausen was first established near Oranienburg, a town north of Berlin. It was designed by Schutzstaffel (SS) architects to serve as a model camp and training center for SS officers. Over 200,000 people were imprisoned in Sachsenhausen between 1936-1945. It originally held opponents of the German regime, but also held Jews, Slavs, Sinti, Roma, homosexuals, and those classified as antisocials. After the start of the Second World War, people from occupied territo

History: Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church was originally commissioned as a neo-Romanesque church by Kaiser Wilhelm II, in honor of his grandfather, Kaiser Wilhelm I. Its foundation was laid on March 22, 1891 and was consecrated in 1895. It was the tallest building in Berlin at the time, and it contained murals depicting Prussian history and the life of Kaiser Wilhelm I. During the Second World War, on the night of November 23, 1943, it was severely damaged by Allied bombing. Mu

History: Charlottenberg Palace started in 1695 as Lietzenburg Palace, a summer residence for Sophie Charlotte. At Lietzenburg Palace, she hosted many philosophers and artists, earning the palace its nickname “Palace of Muses”. After her death, her husband, King Frederick I of Prussia, renamed the palace to Charlottenberg in her honor. He was inspired by the Palace of Versailles, and expanded Charlottenberg palace until his death. Construction stopped until Frederick the Great