| World War II left the city of Berlin crippled,
sandwiched between East and
West, with a literal and metaphoric wall deeply dividing
the two halves of the city.
The Berlin wall was erected in 1961 and divided the city
for 28 years. In 1989, a peaceful revolution toppled the German
Democratic Republic and the wall was torn down - at first
by an euphoric crowd and by souvenir hunters, later by using
more professional equipment.
However, the wall wasn't dismantled completely. The East
Side Gallery is a mecca for graffiti artists and
is used as a memorial for freedom. It stretches 1.3 km along
the river Spree and is covered by colourful slogans and paintings.
Mauerpark is another Berlin wall based attraction.
The spacious park area offers recreational facilities and
is a popular meeting point for people living in Prenzlauer
Berg or Wedding or for anybody passing by.
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