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Traces of the Wall and Monument Preservation at the East Side Gallery

Directly next to the East Side Gallery stands an inconspicuous but rare relic of the Berlin Wall: the former gatehouse located in the former border strip. The Berlin Wall Foundation and the Wüstenrot Foundation have renovated the former gatehouse at the East Side Gallery and restored it to its original construction state from 1977 – just as it once formed part of the strictly organized GDR border fortifications. Since 2020, it has been listed as a monument of the State of Berlin.

© Stiftung Berliner Mauer, photographer: Günter Preuss

Photographer: Colin Smith

After the fall of the Wall, the building served as a souvenir kiosk for more than 30 years. The alterations made during this period increasingly concealed the building’s historical character. When the renovation began, only a few elements from the GDR era remained.

© Stiftung Berliner Mauer

© Stiftung Berliner Mauer

The restoration therefore followed the principle of careful reconstruction: the window and door openings were rebuilt, the attic parapet was reduced in size, window sills and grilles were newly produced based on historical models, and the original exterior colour scheme from the building period – white surfaces with gray frames – was restored. Inside, the building was reorganized to enable its use as a modern information desk.

The gatehouse has been open again since January 2025 — as the central visitor information desk at the East Side Gallery. This is where guests from all over the world begin their journey into the history of this historic site.

© Stiftung Berliner Mauer