Berlin Customs Wall, Historic city wall in central Berlin, Germany.
The Berlin Customs Wall was a 4-meter-high stone barrier that ringed the city with 14 gates used to control trade and the movement of goods. It marked the city's boundaries for centuries.
The project began in 1737 under Frederick William I of Prussia, who replaced wooden stockades with stone walls between 1786 and 1802. The fortification was completed over many decades as the city strengthened its boundaries.
The gates of this wall took their names from the roads they led to, and these names still shape Berlin's neighborhoods, squares, and metro stations today. Walking through the city, you can still trace this historical connection in how different districts are named.
The wall's former path follows several modern Berlin streets like Stresemannstraße and Prenzlauer Allee, allowing you to trace the historical city boundaries on foot. These streets make it easy to walk the route and understand the city's former borders.
Two specialized gates called Oberbaum and Unterbaum controlled river traffic on the Spree using metal-spiked tree trunks that served as water barriers at night. This detail shows how the wall extended its control beyond land routes to waterways.
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