A Trabant, cleverly painted to look like it’s breaking through the wall. Honecker and Brezhnev in a brotherly socialist kiss. The East Side Gallery takes a section of the Berlin Wall and makes it the longest open-air gallery in the world.

At 1316 metres long, the open-air art gallery on the banks of the Spree in Friedrichshain is the longest continuous section of the Berlin Wall still in existence. Immediately after the wall came down, 118 artists from 21 countries began painting the East Side Gallery, and it officially opened as an open air gallery on 28 September 1990. Just over a year later, it was given protected memorial status.

We visited with friends and for all our children (as well as the adults) it was a really interesting and a great family trip to do – especially since the weather was all blue skies and sun. We also did our own “contribution” to al the great art (pictured below). After, we jumped on a boat trip through Berlin where we enjoyed seeing the city from the water while enjoying ice creams and coffees.