Discover the scenes of history
Here you will find a compact introduction to the history of Berlin from its foundation to the present day:
At the end of the 19th century, Berlin rose to become a world metropolis. Large German electrical and chemical companies employed thousands of workers that flocked to the city from Silesia, Pomerania and East Prussia. Fascinating examples of the industrial culture can still be seen in Berlin today. The large housing estates being built in Berlin at that time are now UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Monuments and memorial sites commemorate the burning of books, the Reichsprogromnacht, persecution, death and suffering under National Socialism, but also resistance such as the Stauffenberg assassination attempt. Right in the heart of the city, near the Brandenburg Gate and the Reichstag, is where the impressive field of stelae of the Monument to the Murdered Jews of Europe lies. Not far from here you will see the Topography of Terror memorial and remnants of the Berlin Wall. You can explore further traces of the wall along the Berlin Wall Trail – on foot or even by bike.
Our guests’ most popular tickets
You will be able to learn even more about Berlin´s history with the help of our city tours and guides. Alte Fritz (Old Fritz) will take you on a journey through time to discover Prussian-German history. The Hop-on Hop-off city tour „Mauer&Kiez“ will guide you in comfort through the trendy district of Prenzlauer Berg, to the Eastside Gallery and the Berlin Wall Memorial. The Brandenburg Gate Museum introduces you to 300 years of history. Discover everyday life in the GDR in the interactive DDR Museum while the Deutsche Spionagemuseum (German Spy Museum), reveals the ambiguous world of the secret services. And the museum pass enables you to visit even more museums at your leisure: you will get three days free entry to over 30 museums in Berlin.
Get recommendations about the best experiences from other visitors. Here you will find the most popular tickets among visitors to Berlin. Our travel service for a stress-free holiday in Berlin: get your tickets for city tours, museums and exhibitions and sights through our convenient online booking system. You will have the ticket that is right for you in a matter of minutes.
Berlin history - German history - world history.
From the rise of Prussia and the founding of the German Reich, right through to reunification: time and again it is Berlin which decided the fate of the entire country as well as that of the world. The scars and wastelands in the cityscape still expose traces of the past and tell a story of war and dictatorship, which shaped the 20th century. Here at Checkpoint Charlie is where the tanks of the world powers faced each other during the Cold War.
The remnants of the Berlin Wall bear testimony to the erection of the Wall, the division of the city and the whole country and to suffering and death. Unique and unforgotten: probably the brightest hour in the city’s history, the fall of the Berlin Wall. Today, Berlin stands for freedom, tolerance and diversity of lifestyles. Go on a journey through time and discover the scenes of world history in Berlin.
Discover the scenes of history
Discover the places where history is still alive. Important events of history played out here. Stroll through medieval Berlin in the Nikolaiviertel. Admire the beautiful palaces dating from Prussia’s glory days in Charlottenburg and Sanssouci.
Industrial buildings and modern buildings tell a story about the rise of Berlin to a cosmopolitan city and of the golden twenties. The most striking construction of the city’s history is the Berlin Wall which divided the city for over 28 years.
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The 20s in Berlin
Berlin and its Berliners: from Friedrich the Great to Willy Brandt
Eminent figures have written the history of Berlin. Friedrich the Great built the Forum Friedericianum on the Unter den Linden boulevard and changed the face of the city. The world-famous Hollywood star Marlene Dietrich left her mark on an entire era in the 1920s and 1930s, but remained one thing until the end of her life: Berliner.
John F. Kennedy gave his acclaimed speech at Schöneberg Town Hall, whose words “Ich bin ein Berliner” (I am a Berliner), deeply touched the people in the walled city.
In what was a divided country, the fate of Berlin and Germany were in the hands of Willy Brandt on the one side and Erich Honecker on the other.
