East Side Gallery

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East Side Gallery: Tours & Tickets

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East Side Gallery Berlin: Top 5 fascinating facts

The East Side Gallery is the longest remaining strip of The Berlin Wall and the longest outdoor gallery in the world. Immediately after the fall of the “iron curtain,” 118 artists from 21 different countries reinterpreted East Side Gallery history forever.

  • “The Death Strip”

    1. “The Death Strip”

    The East Side Gallery borders what used to be its “death strip,” a highly patrolled area where anyone trying to cross from East to West Berlin was immediately shot.

  • Controversy Over East Side Gallery Restoration

    2. Controversy Over East Side Gallery Restoration

    Since 1990, many murals deteriorated. Restoration, however, has been filled with roadblocks like funding issues and even a lawsuit from artists who felt their work was altered.

  • Avignon Flash Mob

    3. Avignon Flash Mob

    German pop artist Jim Avignon painted over his original painting “Doin’ it cool for the East Side” with a group of art students in 1990—without authorized permission.

  • Development Over Culture

    4. Development Over Culture

    A six-meter gap was put in the East Side Gallery in 2013 to make room for the construction of high rise apartment buildings. Protestors gathered, but the construction went on.

  • East Side Gallery Film

    5. East Side Gallery Film

    “Berlin East Side Gallery” is a 2015 documentary that records the changes since the 2009 restoration in hopes of deterring vandalism and promoting preservation.

Planning Your Visit

  • Enjoy the surroundings

    Located along the Spree river, the area around the gallery is filled with sand-filled beach bars that can make for a relaxing, sunny evening when the weather is in your favor.

  • Visit at off-peak times

    Crowds can be dense; arriving earlier or later in the day is advisable. It’s open 24 hours a day.

  • Kiss your loved-ones at the East Side Gallery Kiss

    One of the most famous murals is entitled “My God, Help Me to Survive This Deadly Love” and sometimes called the “Fraternal Kiss” by Dmitri Vrubel. It is a reproduction of the real event of Leonid Brezhnev and Erich Honecker sharing a socialist fraternal embrace.

Good to know

  • When should I visit?
    The East Side Gallery is open all day, everyday.
  • Is it expensive?
    It's free to walk the Gallery, but tours of the area cost extra.
  • Will I need a guide?
    A guide can certainly make the artwork come to life, with stories about the artists, and life before and after The Wall.
  • How to get there
    Take the S5, S7 or S75 to either Warschauer Str. or Ostbahnhof, or the U1 to Warschauer Str.
  • Additional information

    • Please remain respectful, and do not add your own artwork over an artist's work.

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What people are saying about East Side Gallery

Overall rating

4.5 / 5

based on 3,480 reviews

We signed up for the Trabi tour, thinking we would all sit in the Trabi with our private driver & tour guide! Upon arrival, we found out that’s not the case and we would actually driving our very own Trabi! Thankfully, one of us knew how to drive a manual because that’s the Trabi we ended up with! (There’s an option for an automatic, if manual driving is not your jam!) There’s a lead tour guide and everyone follows the designated guide in a line. The guide took us all over Berlin & the popular tourist sites. The guide talks through a radio so all cars can hear the history about each site while driving their Trabi! If you have EVER wanted to know what it was like to drive a car from East Berlin during the Cold War, this tour would be the perfect opportunity to check this off the bucket list! It was nerve wracking, but such a fun & exciting tour to do!! We would highly recommend it!

Berlin: 75-minute Trabi Safari Reviewed by Anonymous, 16/08/2020

Helpful?

This was one of the best things I’ve ever done!! The tour guide was so incredibly knowledgeable and helpful .... especially with adjusting to these old cars. He had a great sense of humor and honestly He made my birthday so much better !! Many many thanks !!! ——- Dies war eines der besten Dinge, die ich je gemacht habe !! Die Reiseleiterin war unglaublich kompetent und hilfsbereit ... vor allem bei der Anpassung an diese alten Autos. Er hatte einen großartigen Sinn für Humor und ehrlich Er hat meinen Geburtstag so viel besser gemacht !! Vielen, vielen Dank !!!

Berlin: 75-minute Trabi Safari Reviewed by Charlene, 09/02/2020

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We booked this your as a group of 6 people, our host and tour guide Leah was very knowledgeable about the area, explaining the local cultural aspects of the urban art scene, we saw a side to Berlin that we would never have seen without booking such a tour. Highly recommend!

Berlin's Alternative Side: The Urban Jungle Tour Reviewed by Mark, 05/10/2020

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Have used this company on all our city breaks and as always this trip didn't disappoint. 2 routes covering the main sights and buildings you would expect. Will be using again.

Berlin Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour: 24 or 48-Hour Ticket Reviewed by Steve, 25/02/2020

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It was a great cycle and very safe. Bike was sturdy & everything worked & there are plenty of very fascinating stops so it’s not 3 hours solid cycling if anyone is worried.

Berlin: "Vibes of Berlin" Bike Tour Reviewed by Martin, 24/08/2020

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