A Guide To East Side Gallery Berlin

East Side Gallery Berlin
Rienz Althron
Rienz Althron 
Published
| 3 min read

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.

Tip from tour guide

East Side Gallery and its surroundings East Side Gallery and its surroundings
Photos of East Side Gallery and the surrounding views shared by Berlin tour guide, Asaf.

Things to do / Highlights

Berlin Wall6331
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Freepenguin used under CC BY-SA 3.0

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.

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What to eat

Buffet Germany
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Torsten Seiler used under CC BY-SA 2.0

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.

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Things to buy

Berlin, East Side Gallery 2014-07 (Sprung in die Freiheit) (1)
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user HerrAdams used under CC BY-SA 4.0

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.

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Travelers tips

Berlin Wall6234
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Freepenguin used under CC BY-SA 3.0

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.

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How to get there

Mendelssohn-Bertholdy Park U-Bahn Station, Berlin
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Daniel Case used under CC BY-SA 3.0

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.

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East Side Gallery Berlin information

Berlin Wall (15305565944)
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Tony Webster used under CC BY 2.0

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

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Rienz is a former office-based employee who entered the world of travel writing. His ultimate dream is to be able to travel the world and experience as much of it as he can. By pursuing his dreams,...Read more

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