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Written by Savi, 10 Comments

We have penned a number of odes to Berlin. After all, it is one of our favourite cities in Europe. On a long weekend away, we spent our time devouring its street art when we were not binging on the scrumptious cheap food in Berlin.  The dynamic and vibrant street art culture was definitely one of the reasons we loved Berlin so much .

 

Street art has long been associated with vandalism. But things are changing. Graffitti, paste-ups, and stamps seem to be the buzzwords of the decade.  The walls of Berlin are a living testimony to the fact that street art is no different from ‘real’ art. It has the potential to evoke political and social sentiment. Berlin’s street art is playful, evocative, and memorable all at the same time. Here’s presenting The Ultimate Guide to Street Art in Berlin aka our choicest hubs for street art in Berlin :-

 

 

1) MITTE

We booked a hotel in Mitte and started our street art journey, as we like to call it, in the neighbourhood. We highly recommend doing the same. With Alexanderplatz as your starting point, start walking towards Rosenthaler Strasse – the walls of this area are covered fully with graffiti, paste ups, and stencils. The famous street artist El Bocho makes his presence felt frequently through his Little Lucy figures.

 

Mr.6, another famous street artist, loves this particular area. Apparently he goes around painting the digit 6 on the walls, old furniture, and pavements in Berlin (on a bike at that!). A major part of his 650,000 6’s are found in Mitte – how exciting, and well, eccentric 😉 !

 

The Ultimate Guide to Street Art in Berlin Mitte
El Bocho’s Little Lucy in Mitte

 

 

2) ROSENTHALER STRASS

On reaching Rosenthaler Strasse, make your way to the Otto Weidt Museum. The courtyard where the museum is built reminds one of a bygone era. The Dead Chickens society, an independent organisation, has succeeded in maintaining its post war state in order to oppose the gentrification which is visible all over Berlin. An independent cinema and a bookshop are also included in the area. But what captivates the interest of street art enthusiasts is the wall opposite the Otto Weidt Museum. This wall is graced with the stunning works of famous street artists like D Screet and Jimmy C.

 

The Ultimate Guide to Street Art in Berlin Mitte
Artwork on the wall opposide the Otto Weidt Museum

 

 

3) THE EAST SIDE GALLERY

The Ultimate Guide to Street Art in Berlin would be incomplete without mentioning The East Side Gallery. This gallery may not be the best example of street art per se but it indeed is politically and socially relevant. One cannot leave Berlin without examining the famed murals of the East Side Gallery. Huge crowds throng the wall during daytime, so we suggest an early morning visit.  Try to spot the famous kiss between Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev and East German leader Erich Honecker while taking a walk along the gallery.

 

The Ultimate Guide to Street Art in Berlin East Side Gallery
One of the most famous murals at the East Side Gallery

 

 

4) SCHLESEISCHES TOR

Gentrification is visible all over Berlin, but Schleseisches Tor somehow seems to have escaped it. The city’s most laid-back area, it is a street art lover’s dream come true. On getting off at the Schleseisches tor U Bahn station, just start walking towards the Overbaum Bridge – you are bound to notice the graffiti laden walls of warehouses and large unused industrial spaces packed full of artwork.

 

The Ultimate Guide to Street Art in Berlin Schleisches Tor
Graffitti laden warehouse in Schlesisches Tor

 

 

5) KREUZBERG

Berlin’s bohemian hub Kreuzberg is a treasure trove, full of street art gems. After getting off at the Kottbusser Tor U-bahn station start walking towards Marianneplatz. Since Kreuzberg is at the centre of Berlin’s alternative scene, there is a lot of politically motivated street art here. The highlights of this particular area are the firewalls with huge murals on them.

 

The Ultimate Guide to Street Art in Berlin Kreuzberg
A huge mural on a firewall in the Kreuzberg

 

That’s it – five areas and some crazy street art. Of course it is fun discovering hidden gems and stumbling on street art masterpieces. However, if you  enjoy guided tours, you could opt for Alternative Berlin’s Free Street Art Tour. It offers the perfect introduction to Berlin’s street art scene.

 

Stuck on packing for Berlin? We have loads of fun outfit ideas and inspiration.

If you find yourself in Berlin, make the best out of the city using the Berlin Travel Card. (use code JULY6 at checkout to get 10% discount on all passes)

 

Have you been to Berlin? What did you think of the street art scene in Berlin?

 

 

10 thoughts on “The Ultimate Guide to Street Art in Berlin

  1. I love the street art in Berlin; there’s only one other city I’ve ever been to that comes close to the diversity, relevance and beauty of Berlin’s street art and that’s Buenos Aires. That piece in Kreuzberg is probably my favourite of these photos – such an ingenious use of the crumbling brick. Gorgeous!

    1. That Kreuzberg piece was actually commissioned by Levi’s – which makes it a bit…interesting 🙂

      I never took a tour with Alternative Berlin, but did go on a street art tour with an independent tour operator – the story’s on my blog. I think it can be really useful to go on a tour with a guide because you learn so much more about the artists & the local culture.

      1. Adam that does make it interesting. I know the fact that the Kreuzberg piece was actually commissioned by Levi’s casts a shadow over the subversive nature of street art and represents its assumption into ‘mainstream’ art. But the fact that such radical street art has been appreciated by a corporate conglomerate also signifies the coming-of-age of a kind of art that was once synonymous with vandalism.

        I’m not sure which side of the debate I’m on. You?

    2. The firewalls in Berlin have some amazing pieces of art Sam. I’ve heard so much about the street-art in Buenos Aires, must make a trip soon 🙂

  2. Thanks for all the information in Berlin! I am visiting Berlin from South Africa in November and your website is greatly helping my research!

    1. Hey Talia – so glad we could be of help. Just drop us an email if you have any other questions about Berlin 🙂

  3. Hi Savi & Vid!!

    I follow your blogs before any travel plans and love your tips of every destination.. they make our visit so much more fun and helps us explore every bit.. thanks so much 🙂

    However this time I have one disappointment.. we were in Berlin last week and we were roaming around Kreuzberg and SCHLESEISCHES TOR, roaming around for almost 2 hours but did not spit any of your recommended wall art scenes… We got so disappointed coz we started our day in Berlin with this and thought where are we.. have we made a mistake coming here.. so many thoughts… All this mind you coz we have a 3 year old toddler with us too..
    We got down from the mentioned u bahn station n everything but still couldn’t spot any thing significant and amazing :((
    Disappointed we moved ahead with rest of the Berlin which was quite amazing since we only had a day’s time
    Thanks

    1. Hey Garima,

      So sorry to hear that. Our trip was almost 7 years ago so the street art might have been replaced/removed.

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