podtour
Kreuzberg SO 36: from Kottbusser Tor to the Wall
You start at Kottbusser Tor, a city gate that no longer exists, where workers from Turkey arrived when the Wall left Kreuzberg on the edge.
The East Side Gallery and the Oberbaum Bridge: audio walk in Berlin
The most painted stretch of the Wall in the world had its back to the West: the border was the river. Murals with a story, a Catalan artist who wrote about love, a kiss that wasn't about love, a turreted bridge that was once a customs post and a crossing on foot, and the riverbank where five children drowned and nobody could jump in.
What this walk is about
You start in Stralauer Platz, in front of a piece of the first Wall, the one built from blocks. Soon come Ignasi Blanch's mural in Catalan and the CV painted by a former political prisoner. Then you find out why this wall was painted on the eastern side: the West began on the far bank, and Mühlenstraße was the avenue for official visits. You walk the gallery that 118 artists painted in a single summer, with the bridge the Wehrmacht blew up, the factory of a deported neighbour, the people who tried to swim across the river, the neighbours who moved into the border strip after the fall, and the Brezhnev and Honecker kiss, which was a formal greeting. At the end you cross the Oberbaum Bridge, with its tree trunk against smugglers and its Calatrava span, and finish on the Kreuzberg bank, where the border was the water.
- Start
- The river was the border
- Finish
- The riverbank of the children
- Who it is for
- A walk for anyone curious about the Berlin Wall and the Cold War and street art.
- Languages
- Spanish and British English
- Underfoot
- The walk is mostly level.
The route, stop by stop
An outline of the walk. The full stories are in the app.
Loading the map…
Open a marker to see its page. Use two fingers to move the map on mobile.
- 1
The river was the border
- 2
A Catalan and a Cuban paint of love
- 3
A former political prisoner paints her history
- 4
A wall made for state visits
- 5
118 artists, one summer, then another coat of paint
- 6
Brommy Bridge and the button factory
- 7
The people who tried to cross the river
- 8
Caravans in the border strip
- 9
The kiss that wasn't about romance
- 10
The granary left standing
- 11
A barrier against smugglers and a fairytale gate
- 12
The bridge that kept changing
- 13
The riverbank of the children
Walking directions are based on mapped pedestrian routes. Check local access and signs; the route is not an accessibility guarantee. Times are approximate.
Berlin, before you go
Berlin alternates broad avenues, courtyards and neighbourhoods with lives of their own. Walk each area slowly and use transport between them: several good walks make more sense than one marathon.
More walks nearby
Alexanderplatz and the TV Tower: Legends of East Berlin
You start in front of Marx and Engels, who no longer face the way people say they do, and a Red Town Hall that isn't red because it's communist, and whose chronicle in stone was rebuilt from photographs lent by ordinary Berliners.
Prenzlauer Berg: the Kollwitzkiez
You start on a corner where the streets are named after French cities, and you find out why.
Good to know
What is Podtour?
An app for self-guided audio walks. Choose a city and a route, then listen to the stories behind its streets. You decide when to start and when to stop.
When can I download the app?
Podtour is coming to iOS and Android. There is no confirmed launch date yet. Join the waitlist and we will let you know when it is ready.
Does Podtour include attraction tickets?
No. Street walks and monument audio tours do not include admission tickets, transport or a guide accompanying you.
Can I listen without an internet connection?
Download the audio in the app before heading out, then listen offline. Loading the online base map and calculating a new route from your location require a connection.
What languages are included?
Every route includes Spanish and British English. The English version is adapted for English-speaking travellers, rather than translated word for word.
How do I get a whole city for free?
Join the waitlist, choose a city and confirm your email address. When the app launches, we will email you with access details. No card is required. You can also try one free route in every city.
Can I buy for myself or for a group?
Yes. Your own access is included and you can choose 0–5 guests: up to 6 people including you. Each guest saves up to €0.50 on a walk, €1 on a pack or €2 on a whole city compared with buying separately. The counter shows the total before you confirm one payment.
How do I share, and when must guests accept?
After paying, share your purchase’s invitation link. Each guest opens it in Podtour and accepts their place on their own iPhone or Android phone. They must redeem it within 30 days of purchase. Unclaimed places then expire and cannot be recovered or renewed. Access accepted in time is kept. Opening the link does not use a place; one account takes just one place, and no more people can join once all places are taken.
Can I add guests after buying?
No. Choose all your guests before confirming the first purchase. Afterwards you can share the places you paid for, but you cannot increase their number or restart the 30-day deadline.
Your first city,
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Join the waitlist and get one whole city free when Podtour launches. You choose where.
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One city per person. All its Podtour routes in Spanish and English. Available at launch. Offer details.