When people think of the Berlin Wall, of course, it’s Cold War barrier that split Berlin in two that comes to mind.
However, the Berlin Wall that we all think of today had several predecessors, including one that goes back to the city’s founding.
But this wall was designed to keep people out, not in.
The city’s original wall, erected sometime in the early 13th century, was roughly 2.5 km in length and circled what was then the twin cities of Berlin and Coelln.
At its peak, the wall reached about 8 meters, or 25 feet, in height and just under a meter thick, consisting of brick and stones.
Over time, additional structures such as parapets and battlements were added to improve its defensive capabilities.
You can still make out the border of the early settlements on today’s Berlin map.
The area included Nikolaiviertel and most of Alexanderplatz on the east side of the River Spree and today’s Museum Island and Fisher’s Island on the west side.
The Stadtmauer lost its function as the city gradually expanded, and many of it’s bricks were repurposed, and even parts of the wall were incorporated into homes or property lines.
And just a 10-minute walk from Alexanderplatz are 3 surviving sections, an official memorial today, measuring roughly 150 meters long in total.
During the cleaning of the debris resulting from the Second World War, these parts of the original Berlin Wall were rediscovered.
This includes one’s use as a patio wall for Berlin’s oldest restaurant, Zur Letzten Instanz, so make a plan for lunch or dinner at this surprisingly well-reviewed tourist magnet.
There’s a lot to see in the area around these wall segments, and I will link to that video when it’s ready.
Be sure to check out my other videos where I cover Berlin history and tourism highlights.
Tschuess!
