Checkpoint Charlie is just a stone’s throw away from our Brandenburg Gate apartments and is located on Friedrichstrasse, the city’s main north/south axis. Due to its historical significance, it is one of Berlin’s most popular attractions. It served as a military checkpoint when Germany was partitioned and was a well-known border-crossing between East and West Berlin. However, it could only be used by foreign nationals and representatives of the FRG and GDR.
Checkpoint Charlie became famous after the construction of the wall in October 1961 as the spot where armed American and Soviet tanks faced off. In the years that followed, the checkpoint was the scene of spectacular escapes to West Germany from the GDR.
Its historical significance lends Checkpoint Charlie a unique atmosphere: it’s certainly worth a visit during a trip to Berlin. Although these days it’s just a reconstructed barracks, and the sandbags in front of the checkpoint are actually filled with concrete, the site still exudes a sense of its unique history. Fittingly, the Wall Museum is a short walk away. Here, visitors can learn about the Cold War and the numerous attempts to flee from the East to the West. The nearby asisi Panorama Berlin gives visitors a glimpse of divided Berlin from a very personal, artistic perspective.
