Login

Checkpoint Charlie

Best-known Berlin Wall Crossing Point

Checkpoint Charlie began in 1961 as a border post between East and West Germany during the Cold War and was dismantled after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1990. The rebuilt Checkpoint Charlie is a popular tourist attraction in Berlin, where visitors can pay to have their picture taken with actors dressed in American military uniform.

During the Cold War, the GDR (East Germany) built a 160-kilometer-long Berlin Wall along its border with the FRG (West Germany) to prevent East Germans from traveling to West Germany or to prevent the infiltration of spies. To enter the country, contacts had to be checked at checkpoints, of which Checkpoint Charlie is the best-known one.

Checkpoint Charlie is located at the Intersection of Friedrichstraße and Zimmerstraße in Berlin, and was built in 1961 as a Important Border Post between East and West Germany for Allied troops, journalists, diplomats and non-German travelers entering East Germany. With the fall of the Berlin Wall, Checkpoint Charlie was also demolished in 1990.

Manywhere Trivia:
“Charlie” in Checkpoint Charlie stands for “C”, and similarly A-Alfa, B-Bravo, D-Delta and so on. Checkpoint Charlie is the equivalent of “Checkpoint Three”.

Manywhere Tips:
After the end of the U.S.-Soviet standoff, Checkpoint Charlie turned into a battleground between McDonald’s and KFC.

Shortly thereafter, a replica built for sightseeing purposes appeared in the same location. The restored Checkpoint Charlie retains elements such as the White Booth, sandbags, and cobblestone floor. For a small fee, visitors can meet with Actors in U.S. Army Uniform for a group photo.

Here you can see street artist’s artwork as Photo of US and Soviet Soldiers and the famous “You Are Leaving the American Sector” sign. There’s also a Berlin Wall Museum (Checkpoint Charlie Museum) next door, which is a great place to learn about the history of the Berlin Wall and the Cold War.

Berlin Wall

The Iron Curtain

After the Second World War, East Germany built a 167-kilometer-long Berlin Wall on the border between the two German states, which was not opened until 1989. The East Side Gallery, the Berlin Wall Memorial Park and the Topography of Terror are three of the major remnants of the Berlin Wall.