Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Germany Berlin DDR Watch Tower
AO Edited

DDR Watch Tower

This watchtower once presided over the Berlin Wall.

Berlin, Germany

Added By
billyquinlan
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
Alter Mauerturm   billyquinlan / Atlas Obscura User
Alter Mauerturm   billyquinlan / Atlas Obscura User
Alter Mauerturm   billyquinlan / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Near Potsdamer Platz you can find the last surviving "panoramic observation tower" of the GDR. The rarity, called RBT or BT-6, was built to secure the inner-German border and, as the last of its kind, was placed under monument protection in 2001.

Over eight meters high and resembling a mushroom, it leads through a narrow shaft onto the octagonal pulpit with windows on all sides and shooting holes underneath. Towers of this kind were constructed only for a short time from 1969 to 1972 due to static and logistical issues; square towers soon took over.

Related Tags

History & Culture Towers

Know Before You Go

As of August 2024, the whole area is a fenced construction site for a new building, and the watch tower was possibly removed.

Community Contributors

Added By

billyquinlan

Edited By

Simpluree, Riot Leviathan, SilentCartographer

  • Simpluree
  • Riot Leviathan
  • SilentCartographer

Published

January 25, 2022

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
DDR Watch Tower
Erna-Berger-Straße
Berlin
Germany
52.508535, 13.379679
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Hansa Studios

Berlin, Germany

miles away

Führerbunker Parking Lot

Berlin, Germany

miles away

Denkzeichen Georg Elser

Berlin, Germany

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Berlin

Berlin

Germany

Places 140
Stories 18

Nearby Places

Hansa Studios

Berlin, Germany

miles away

Führerbunker Parking Lot

Berlin, Germany

miles away

Denkzeichen Georg Elser

Berlin, Germany

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Berlin

Berlin

Germany

Places 140
Stories 18

Related Places

  • Il-Gardjola Guard Tower as seen from below the fortifications.

    Senglea, Malta

    Il-Gardjola Guard Tower

    The eyes and ears of this tower keep watch over Malta’s Grand Harbor.

  • Birkenhead Priory

    Birkenhead, England

    Birkenhead Priory

    The oldest standing building on Merseyside is special for its rich history as a Benedictine monastery and its unique connection to the origins of the Mersey Ferry.

  • Paris, France

    Tour Jean-sans-Peur

    This tower is one of the best-preserved (and least-visited) remnants of medieval Paris.

  • Pepperbox Hill Tower

    Salisbury, England

    Pepperbox Hill Tower

    A doorless and windowless folly in England that evokes curiosity over its mysterious origins.

  • London, England

    Byward Tower Hand

    A mysterious suspended hand greets unsuspecting visitors at the Tower of London.

  • Valberget Utsiktspunkt

    Stavanger, Norway

    Valberget Utsiktspunkt

    In a city of wooden houses, this watchtower was vital for early fire detection.

  • Ghanta Ghar

    Jodhpur, India

    Ghanta Ghar

    The clock tower is a prominent landmark in the bustling commercial hub in the heart of Jodhpur, showcasing intricate architecture and cultural significance.

  • Smith’s Folly, Qutab Minar complex.

    New Delhi, India

    Smith's Folly

    This cupola was once seen as an architectural disaster.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.