The East Side Gallery is the longest surviving stretch of the Berlin Wall—1,316 m along Mühlenstraße in Friedrichshain—and the world's longest open-air gallery. In spring 1990, just after the Wall fell, 118 artists from 21 countries painted about 105 murals on the east-facing side to capture the end of the Cold War and the hope of reunification, with the Brezhnev–Honecker 'Fraternal Kiss' and the Trabant car bursting through the wall becoming globally iconic images. Listed as a protected monument in 1991 and cared for by the Berlin Wall Foundation since 2018, in 2026 it remains a free, round-the-clock open-air landmark that is almost always busy. Visit it as an open-air walk that reads the history of division and reunification through art.
Dmitri Vrubel's 'My God, Help Me to Survive This Deadly Love'—the Brezhnev–Honecker fraternal kiss, the gallery's most iconic mural
Birgit Kinder's 'Test the Rest'—an East German Trabant car breaking through the wall
Thierry Noir's series of large, colorful heads, an early signature style of Wall art
Kani Alavi's 'It Happened in November'—crowds streaming through the Wall at the moment of reunification
The full riverside mural walk from Ostbahnhof in the north to the Oberbaum Bridge over the Spree in the south
Good to know
CautionAdmission is completely free—ignore anyone selling 'entry tickets,' soliciting donations or petition signatures, or posing as an official guide; the petition ruse is a common distraction used by pickpockets.
SafetyWarschauer Straße station and the popular murals (the Fraternal Kiss) draw dense crowds where pickpockets operate; wear your bag in front and keep it zipped.
RulesThis is a legally protected monument—tagging, sticking stickers, or otherwise damaging the wall is a finable offense. Take photos, but do not touch or deface the surface.
RulesFor the S-Bahn and U-Bahn, buy a VBB zone AB ticket and validate (stamp) it even though there are no gates; plainclothes inspectors fine fare-dodgers about €60.
SeasonThe site is fully open-air with almost no shade—in the July peak season expect heat and crowds, so bring water, a hat and sunscreen, and pack a light rain jacket or umbrella for frequent showers. Winter is cold with early darkness.
MannersThis is also a memorial to a divided city and to those who died at the Wall, so keep noise down and be patient at the famous murals, letting other visitors take their turn for photos.
Practical info
The northern end is a few minutes' walk from S-Bahn Ostbahnhof and the southern end from Warschauer Straße (S-Bahn and U-Bahn), with tram M10 stopping nearby. The murals are free to view outdoors 24 hours a day; the visitor center at Mühlenstraße 73 is open daily 10:00–17:00 and is where guided tours can be booked. Tour fees are being adjusted from June 2026, so always check the latest information before you go.
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