East Side Gallery Berlin is an outdoor art gallery. It features a collection of murals painted on Berlin Wall. The wall is 1,316 meters (4,318 feet) long and is located in Mühlenstraße, Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg. East Side Gallery is the largest open-air gallery in the world—with over 100 paintings created by artists from all across the globe. Some of those artists are Jürgen Grosse, Dimitri Vrubel, and Kim Prisu, to name a few. East Side Gallery is a protected heritage of Berlin, and it serves as a site to commemorate the fall of Berlin Wall. Further, the landmark is also one of the highlights of Berlin tourism—a reason why tourists from all over the world visit the city. For more information, check out East Side Gallery Berlin’s website. If you have future travel plans in Berlin, here’s a guide to East Side Gallery Berlin for you to read prior departure.
Things to do / Highlights
East Side Gallery Berlin is a highly recommended place for art enthusiasts and history buffs because of the murals that symbolize spiritual philosophies, represent the fall of Berlin Wall, and honor famous people who have had a significant contribution to society. Below are some famous murals that you should see when you visit.
The Wall Jumper
The Wall Jumper, also known as “Der Mauerspringer” in the German tongue, depicts a man jumping from the west side of the wall to its east side. It is said that the mural symbolizes freedom from the west. It was painted back in 1989 by Gabriel Heimler, the youngest artist who has contributed a work of art to the wall.
Thank You, Andrei Sakharov
Also called “Danke, Andrei Sakharov,” this mural is a work of Dmitry Vrubel and Viktoria Timofeeva to honor the late Andrei Sakharov, a Nobel Peace Prize-winning nuclear physicist from Russia. He received the award for being an advocate for civil liberties and civil reform, which resulted in him being persecuted.
Cartoon Heads
This is the first drawing on Berlin Wall, created by the French artist Thierry Noir back in the ‘80s. It consists of animal and human heads drawn in a cartoonish art style. The famous artist took five years of police evasion to complete his iconic artwork.
What to eat
Salut Backwaren
You’ll want to grab a bag of cookies to keep you from getting hungry while exploring the longest open-air gallery in the world. Drop by Salut Backwaren before visiting the wall. This famous bakeshop is located less than a kilometer (0.2 miles) from the site.
Good Morning Monday
If you feel like eating breakfast before you go exploring the beautiful murals at East Side Gallery, Good Morning Monday offers coffee, scrambled eggs, cheese, avocado, and other breakfast staples. It’s easily accessible as it lies just about 0.64 kilometers (0.4 miles) away from the gallery. The place also has a children’s corner, which is great if you have kids with you.
Mani in Pasta
If you suddenly find yourself craving for Italian food, Mani in Pasta serves a wide variety of pasta dishes. One of its bestsellers is the Arrabini pasta with cheese—a definite must-try! The restaurant is located less than a kilometer away (0.6 miles) from East Side Gallery, which makes it a convenient place to dine in.
Things to buy
At the end of East Side Gallery lies a souvenir shop that sells various merchandise—either to help you reminisce your time in Berlin or give as gifts to your friends or loved ones back home. You can buy T-shirts, toy cars, drawings, and more.
Travelers tips
Don't stamp your passport
Many souvenir shops around East Side Gallery offer to put old stamps on tourists’ passports for a few bucks. While the stamp is a great souvenir, it might get your passport invalidated as the stamps are not official. If you really must, then use an expired passport instead.
Be respectful at all times
Germans are generally peace-loving people. Locals are expected to not talk too loudly when in a public place, such as public transportations, restaurants, and bars. Thus, the same behavior is also expected from foreign visitors.
How to get there
By U-Bahn
Schlesisches Tor and Ostbahnhof stations are the two U-Bahn stations that will take you directly to either end of East Side Gallery. Because these stops are located at both ends of the wall, this makes the U-Bahn accessible and a convenient way for tourists to come and go to this famed landmark.
There are also other ways to get to East Side Gallery—by train, bus, S-Bahn, or subway. Here are the lines that will bring you to a stop near the site.
By train
Take trains RB14 and RE7.
By bus
Look for buses 147 and 248.
By S-Bahn
Ride S-Bahn lines S5, S7, and S75.
By subway
Board subway - U1.
East Side Gallery Berlin information
East Side Gallery Berlin
Address: Mühlenstraße 3-100, 10243 Berlin, Germany
Opening hours: 24 hours (daily)
Official website: East Side Gallery Berlin
Department of tourism: Visit Berlin
History
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