East Side Gallery Guide

The East Side Gallery is a 1.3 kilometre stretch of the Wall along Mühlenstraße, painted by artists from many countries in 1990 after the border opened. It is the longest surviving section of the Wall in Berlin. It was part of the inner barrier facing the city, not the main border strip, and the river runs along the other side. That is why it has survived in one piece.

What you see

The murals range from political statements to abstract designs. The best known is the Fraternal Kiss, which shows Brezhnev and Honecker kissing, and the Trabant bursting through the Wall is also widely photographed. Many works were repainted when the Wall was restored, and the surface is covered in tags, so do not expect pristine paint. It is also an uncomfortable fact that a few gaps have been cut for new building, which is an ongoing argument in the city.

Which direction to walk

We suggest starting at Ostbahnhof and walking east toward the Oberbaum Bridge. The Wall is on your right with the river just beyond it, and you end beside the bridge, a handsome two-storey brick span. Cross it into Kreuzberg or continue to Warschauer Straße station. The walk takes an hour with photo stops, less if you only want a quick look.

When to come

The stretch gets crowded in the middle of the day and in summer. Early morning is quiet and gives you space for photographs, and we would also choose late evening, when the nearby bars begin to fill up. Please do not add graffiti to the murals. It damages the artworks and the site is protected.

Pair it with

If you want the history behind the paint, go on to the Berlin Wall Memorial on Bernauer Straße, which shows the actual border strip. The East Side Gallery leads naturally into Friedrichshain on the north bank and Kreuzberg across the bridge. We would skip the souvenir kiosks and the stalls selling fake Wall pieces along the route.