Mauermuseums – Museum Haus am Checkpoint Charlie

At Friedrichstraße 43 in the Berlin district of Kreuzberg stands the Haus am Checkpoint Charlie, which houses the Mauermuseum – Museum Haus am Checkpoint Charlie. The building was erected in 1985–1986 in the run-up to the International Building Exhibition 1987.

Originally conceived as residential housing for the social housing sector, the design is based on a work by an American architect associated with the New York Five; the building is regarded as one of his most important projects in Germany. It takes its name from the nearby Checkpoint Charlie, which during the time of the Berlin Wall served as a well-known crossing point for the Western occupying powers into East Berlin.

The building’s exterior is defined by the interplay of different square grids, a meridian band and its alignment with the street frontage. On the site two historical urban orders and former city walls meet – the Akzisemauer and the Berlin Wall. In the façade design a red band represents the 19th century, a grey band the 20th century, and a white grid refers to the Mercator projection. An originally planned garden was not realized after the fall of the Wall.

The Mauermuseum documents the history and events surrounding the Berlin Wall, escape attempts, and the worldwide nonviolent advocacy for human rights. The museum was founded in 1962 by a member of the resistance movement against National Socialism; it is among Germany’s most visited museums.