We're about a 9 minute walk from the Berlin Wall Memorial. One of the first things we did once we got settled was walk to the Wall. The memorial stretches up the street for a few blocks with lots of photographs, quotes, and audios, spanning the stretch.
I've learned a lot more about what individuals and families risked to be free and fight for their freedom.
The city of Berlin is in what used to be "East Germany". The actual city was divided into West and East Berlin. The Berlin Wall was constructed around West Berlin so East Berliners couldn't escape the Soviet Union to join the Western Allies.
Before the wall was built, people could pass easily from East to West Berlin. Once more people began moving to West Berlin, the Soviets became concerned and overnight, built the first portion of what would become the Berlin Wall, forbidding anyone to cross the border for 40 years.
Over the years, more layers of defense would be added to the Wall. Barbed wire, cement, guards, etc. to prevent people from crossing. This is part of the Wall's remains.
The ground where the Wall was built was previously a cemetery. The Soviets said they relocated the graves before building the Wall but no one really knows if the graves were relocated or just built on top of. The cross represents those bodies from the cemetery.
The rest of the original cemetery extends behind this hedge. It's so pretty and peaceful with lots of wildflowers. It was closed unfortunately the day we visited the Wall.
There was a memorial as well with all of the individuals who lost their lives trying to cross over the Wall during the years it was up.
It was a solemn place and I want to go back and learn more. My friend, April gave me a book called Forty Autumns, a true story about a family who lived on both sides of the Wall for 40 years.
Brandenburg Gate!
Driving is definitely manageable in Berlin, but parking is not. Thankfully, we live right next to a bus and subway station! The Brandenburg gate is only a few stops from us and was amazing to see.
There was no political purpose for building the gate and I'm not sure all of the history behind it, but it sure is pretty!
& the U.S. embassy is just to the left of it - we'll be going there soon to get Baby B his passport!!
Tiergarten Park
This HUGE park is in the middle of Berlin and is beautiful. The park always has bikers, runners, and strollers all over the trails.
Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe
There are 2,711 slabs of concrete that cover this memorial - all different heights. Underneath the Memorial, a holocaust museum lists over 3 million names of victims who were murdered in Europe. We haven't been to the museum yet but plan on going soon!
Grateful that Justin had some off days and that I was feeling up to walking so we could explore while there was nice weather.