Berlin walls

I spent last week in Berlin with Ross' class. When we weren't attending a typography conference, we were sightseeing and discovering why young creative people flock to the city.

Easily the most famous thing about Berlin in the wall that once divided the city. Although Ross doesn't remember when it came down, I do. I was eight and as my family watched the news together on tv, and I remember my parents telling me to remember what we were seeing, because it was very important. I always did remember the event, even if I didn't understand what it really meant until ... well ... until this past year.

Berlin's most famous wall may no longer be standing, but it didn't take long to discover that there were no shortage of fascinating walls around.

There were walls full of expression,






scarred WW2 walls,


big grey Nazi walls,
big, sober, Socialist walls,



muraled walls that remind us of the promise of socialism,




windowless walls,




pastel tiled walls of the metro,


wall of shoes,


type walls,


Frank Gehry walls,


walls housing art,




walls of lead books,


walls of glass at the Reichstag,


walls containing space for anyone,



et cetera.

This brick path throughout the city marks where the Berliner Mauer once stood.


Some portions of the wall are still standing. One section stretches for a kilometer and is covered in paintings and graffiti. It is a monument to personal expression.




I already want to go back.