Checkpoint Charlie, Berlin — Visitor Guide & Things to Do Nearby

Checkpoint Charlie was the most famous crossing point between East and West Berlin during the Cold War, and today it's one of the most visited historical sites in Germany.

The checkpoint was established on September 22, 1961, just weeks after the Berlin Wall went up on August 13. It was the third Allied checkpoint (after Alpha and Bravo), named using the NATO phonetic alphabet. Only foreigners, diplomats, and Allied military personnel were allowed to cross here.

In October 1961, Checkpoint Charlie was the site of one of the tensest moments of the Cold War. American and Soviet tanks faced each other across the border at point-blank range for 16 hours, weapons loaded and aimed. The world held its breath. Eventually, the Soviets withdrew, and the confrontation ended without a shot.

The original guard booth was removed on June 22, 1990, and the original is now in the Allied Museum in Berlin-Dahlem. The booth you see today is a replica. The Checkpoint Charlie Museum (Mauermuseum), which opened in June 1963, documents the history of the Wall and the extraordinary escape attempts people made: tunnels, hidden car compartments, hot air balloons, and even a homemade submarine.

The area draws around 4 million visitors a year. The museum is open daily.

If you're on a Questo quest through Berlin, Checkpoint Charlie is a stop that takes you back to a time when crossing a street meant crossing an ideological divide.