GDR Watch Tower (DDR-Wachturm) Tours
The last standing example of the BT-6 watch towers that stood guard over the Berlin Wall, the GDR Watch Tower was built in 1966 and used to survey the border between East and West Berlin during the Cold War. Hidden away on a side street, close to the bustle of Potsdamer Platz, the tower is a somber reminder of Berlin’s recent history.
The Basics
A visit to the GDR Watch Tower (also known as the DDR Watch Tower) offers insight into life in divided Berlin. Peek inside the restored tower and climb up to the panoramic viewing platform, from where GDR border guards looked out along the Berlin Wall, keeping watch over both sides.
For historical context, it’s best to visit the tower with a guide. Walking tours of the area typically include nearby sites such as the Wall Museum and Checkpoint Charlie, the Topography of Terror, and the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe (also known as the Holocaust Memorial).
Things to Know Before You Go
How to Get There
The GDR Watch Tower is located along Erna-Berger-Strasse at the southeast corner of Potsdamer Platz. The closest U-Bahn station is Potsdamer Platz (on the U2 line), a short walk away.
When to Get There
Open daily, the GDR Watch Tower rarely gets busy. Visit on a clear day for the best views.
Berlin’s Cold War Sites
Other historic sites are within walking distance of the GDR Watch Tower: Checkpoint Charlie, the Wall Museum, the Black Box, and the DIE MAUER exhibition, all of which focus on different aspects of Berlin life during and after the Cold War. Farther north, the Brandenburg Gate—a former gateway between East and West Berlin—is a must-see symbol of the city’s reunification. Walking north from Potsdamer Platz, you’ll also pass the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe.
The Basics
A visit to the GDR Watch Tower (also known as the DDR Watch Tower) offers insight into life in divided Berlin. Peek inside the restored tower and climb up to the panoramic viewing platform, from where GDR border guards looked out along the Berlin Wall, keeping watch over both sides.
For historical context, it’s best to visit the tower with a guide. Walking tours of the area typically include nearby sites such as the Wall Museum and Checkpoint Charlie, the Topography of Terror, and the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe (also known as the Holocaust Memorial).
Things to Know Before You Go
- There’s an entrance fee to climb the tower.
- There are no visitor facilities at the tower, and limited information is available. Hiring a guide is the best way to learn more.
- The tower is reached by two ladders, making it inaccessible for wheelchair users and those with limited mobility.
How to Get There
The GDR Watch Tower is located along Erna-Berger-Strasse at the southeast corner of Potsdamer Platz. The closest U-Bahn station is Potsdamer Platz (on the U2 line), a short walk away.
When to Get There
Open daily, the GDR Watch Tower rarely gets busy. Visit on a clear day for the best views.
Berlin’s Cold War Sites
Other historic sites are within walking distance of the GDR Watch Tower: Checkpoint Charlie, the Wall Museum, the Black Box, and the DIE MAUER exhibition, all of which focus on different aspects of Berlin life during and after the Cold War. Farther north, the Brandenburg Gate—a former gateway between East and West Berlin—is a must-see symbol of the city’s reunification. Walking north from Potsdamer Platz, you’ll also pass the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe.
Address: Erna-Berger-Straße, Berlin 10117, Germany
Admission: Varies
8 Tours and Activities to Experience GDR Watch Tower (DDR-Wachturm)
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PRIVATE BEHIND THE BERLIN WALL and COLD WAR BERLIN TOUR
Join Birchy or one of our expert guides on a private tour of the key-sites related to the Berlin Wall and Cold War Berlin. Learning the when, why, how of the Berlin Wall explore the incredible Berlin Wall Memorial, with the complete death-strip preserved and partially reconstructed. Unique even prior to the memorialization that occurred after the wall fell, it was the scene of incredible escapes and tragic loss of life.
From the Wall Memorial we will head to part of Mitte where the Berlin Wall bounded the American Sector to the South and as well as the British Sector to the west. There we will see the Check Point Charlie (the most famous of all the crossing points between West and East), the immense former House of Ministries buildings (and one of the very few surviving Nazi ministry buildings) and from there head to the last surviving of the BT - variant Watchtower (which we can actually ascend).
The tour finishes at Potsdamer Platz, once one of the busiest city intersections in Europe it was decimated by the end of the Second World War and what remained was further erased due to the construction of the Wall and the development of the death-strip. Now a bustling commercial and entertainment district it is a stark symbol of how a city can rebound from what was a social catastrophe if there ever was one.
This is a Walking Tour Pickups are on foot
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From
$95.40
Price varies by group size
From
$95.40
Price varies by group size
Face masks provided for travelers
Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff
Guides required to regularly wash hands
Explore The Berlin Wall: Cold War Berlin and Behind the Berlin Wall
Look behind the Berlin wall and its complex, tragic history on an in-depth walking tour focused on the city's most infamous architecture. See the longest section of the wall that remains, plus other Cold War landmarks like Checkpoint Charlie and a former DDR watchtower. A guide’s commentary goes beyond Communist kitsch and well-known headlines for an insightful look at life in Berlin before and after the wall.
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From
$22.16
From
$22.16
Face masks provided for travelers
Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff
Guides required to regularly wash hands
3-Hour Berlin Highlights Bike Tour
Pedal around Berlin like a local on this half-day highlights tour. Perfect for cycling enthusiasts who are short on time, this tour introduces you to the must-see attractions in Berlin, including the Reichstag, Checkpoint Charlie, the Brandenburg Gate, and others. No worries about navigation; you'll follow your guides on a carefully curated route while listening to engaging narration on Berlin's culture and history.
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From
$34.47
From
$34.47
Face masks required for travelers in public areas
Face masks required for guides in public areas
Face masks provided for travelers
Berlin Wall's Private Tour: Greatest Escapes City Exploration Game
If traditional walking tours are too boring or restrictive for your tastes, try this treasure hunt-style app-directed tour instead. Download the app and take on the role of a 1984 East Berlin resident attempting to escape. Follow directions and solve clues that lead you to key sights, such as Checkpoint Charlie, Berlin Wall Memorial, and the Brandenburg Gate.
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From
$9.22
Price varies by group size
From
$9.22
Price varies by group size
Social distancing enforced throughout experience
Regular temperature checks for staff
Paid stay-at-home policy for staff with symptoms
Party Bike & Beer Bike City tour in Berlin for max. 6 persons
Where should it go? To the opera, the Olympic Stadium or Kater Blau? Do you want the club night "from dusk till dawn", a Spree trip through the green, from the Tiergarten to Maybachufer, or would you prefer the quickest way from the concert to a cozy bed? Leo rickshaw offers stress-free trips with a lot of fun, comfort and guarantees the best CO2. Balance.
With LEO Rikscha tours you will experience Berlin as if you were a local, from whatever point of view you wish. Perfect for all types of visitors; Orientation tours with traditional highlights. LeoRikscha Tours offers alternative tailor-made tours Berlin Leo rickshaw
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From
$121.87
per group
From
$121.87
per group
Berlin Rickshaw Tours Historical & Photo City Tour 120min.
Save time and see Berlin's top sights faster than a hike by going on a rickshaw adventure. Get a close-up view of the sights and reach places you couldn't reach by bus.
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From
$171.11
per group
From
$171.11
per group
Private Half-Day Walking Tour: Berlin Wall, Cold War and Checkpoint Charlie
Gain fascinating insight into Berlin’s turbulent history on a private 3-hour walking tour of the German capital. Alongside a knowledgeable guide, visit prominent locations like Checkpoint Charlie and the Berlin Wall while listening to illuminating commentary about the Cold War and Soviet occupation. Peruse the interesting exhibits presented in the Berlin Wall Documentation Center; admire the vibrant street art that now covers the Berlin Wall; and ride one of the subways formerly known as ‘ghost trains’ due to their gloomy atmosphere. Receive undivided attention from your expert guide on this private tour.
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From
$208.04
per group
From
$208.04
per group
Berlin Wall and Cold War Bike Tour in Small Groups
Learn about the history and impact of the Berlin Wall on a bike tour along the former site. With a guide, hear stories and facts about events in Berlin after World War II, why the wall was built, what life was like for people on both sides and what led to the wall’s fall. As you pedal, you’ll pass by sights like Potsdamer Platz, Checkpoint Charlie and the Brandenburg Gate.
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From
$38.60
From
$38.60
Face masks provided for travelers
Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff
Regularly sanitized high-traffic areas
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