In Photos: Germany Prepares to Mark 30 Years Since Fall of Berlin Wall
As the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall approaches on 9 November, photographer Andy Hall visits the once-divided capital.
Visitors mingle at Checkpoint Charlie, the most famous crossing point between East and West Berlin during the cold war
Since the wall came down the area around Checkpoint Charlie has become a major tourist attraction
A couple study a display of cold war photos from the comfort of an old armchair
The wall had seven official crossing points, the most famous being Checkpoint Charlie, which was located in the heart of Berlin in a sector secured by American troops
In a high-stakes standoff at the checkpoint in October 1961, the US and Soviet militaries stared each other down for several hours in a dispute over an attempt by the US diplomat Allan Lightner to visit East Berlin
Berliners enjoy the late sun in Mauerpark, a popular leisure area on land that used to be a heavily guarded ‘death strip’ during the cold war
Enjoying the late sun in Mauerpark
An 800m strip of the wall still stands on part of a steep embankment in the park
Potsdamer Platz. During the cold war, this was the widest point of Berlin’s notorious death strip
After decades of neglect, Potsdamer Platz has become a large, thriving urban hub