Bornholmer Straße border crossing, Border checkpoint in Prenzlauer Berg, Berlin, Germany
Bornholmer Straße border crossing is a former checkpoint in Prenzlauer Berg with preserved guard towers, control buildings, and inspection areas. The site shows the infrastructure that once strictly regulated entry between East and West.
The checkpoint was built in the 1950s during the blockade and became a symbol of German division. On the night of November 9, 1989, it opened as the first border point when thousands of East Berliners gathered and guards allowed passage.
The site reflects how division shaped daily life, with people once having to choose which side they could enter. Walking through, visitors see remnants of the structures that enforced this boundary and how deeply it affected everyday movement.
The site is freely accessible with information panels explaining the different areas and their function during division. Guided tours in several languages help visitors understand the layouts and procedures that took place here daily.
Metal plates embedded in the ground mark the exact spots where East German guards stood when they allowed passage for the first time. These small details tell the personal story of the moments when a country reopened to itself.
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