Berlin Underworlds

Behind an unremarkable entrance at Gesundbrunnen station opens a hidden city beneath the city. The nonprofit association Berliner Unterwelten e. V. was founded in 1997 by Dietmar Arnold to protect, research and open up Berlin's underground structures, which were being demolished during the construction boom that followed reunification. Since March 1998 the association has run a museum in a restored World War II bunker under the station, and it has drawn more than two million visitors.

The core of the offering is the guided tours, which trained guides lead through actual air raid shelters, bunkers and decommissioned facilities. Popular routes such as "Dark Worlds" go through the preserved air raid bunker with its original fittings, while "From Flak Tower to Rubble Mountain" and "Bunkers, Subways, Cold War" trace the story from the Nazi era through the division of the city to the Cold War. The tour "Under Berlin to Freedom" focuses on the escape tunnels dug beneath the Berlin Wall. The association also holds around 3,000 objects, 100,000 photographs and extensive archival material.

Tours start at the entrance directly across from the Gesundbrunnen U-Bahn and S-Bahn station and usually run about ninety minutes. Bring sturdy shoes and a warmer jacket, since the underground rooms stay cool. Tours often sell out, so reserve ahead. Check current tour times, languages and prices directly with the association, as the program changes with the season.