More than 30 years after the German reunification, Berlin still has its fair share of atmospheric abandoned places from the Cold War era. Over the years, I visited quite a few, including the surreal Spreepark Theme Park and the eerie Sanatorium Complex in the forest near Beelitz.
I’d still say that none of them are quite as emblematic of Berlin’s more recent history as the Cold War-era radar station with its characteristic golfball-shaped domes.
The abandoned site sits atop the Teufelsberg hill in the western suburb of Grünewald and apart from the historical traces and cool artworks, there are some great views of the surrounding area. Here’s everything you need to know about visiting the Teufelsberg Radar Station.
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What’s the History Behind Teufelsberg?
The name Teufelsberg translates to “Devil’s Mountain”. It’s not a natural hill, but consists of wreckage and debris that was collected and dumped here after World War II. You can actually find “mountains” like that in many German cities, including in Leipzig, where I live.
In the 1960s, British and American forces that were stationed in Berlin came to the conclusion that the hill would be an ideal location to set up a radar station to find out what exactly was going on in East Berlin.
After the fall of the Berlin Wall, the Allies went home, but the station remained and fell prey to vandalism and arson until it was officially opened to the public for the first time in 2017 as a “Street Art Gallery”.
Guided Tours of Teufelsberg
If you prefer a little more information with your Cold War sites, it’s possible to take a tour of the complex. You can have a look at some options below.
What to See at Teufelsberg Radar Station
Museum of the Allies
Right behind the entrance to the complex, there are a couple of military trucks standing in front of a building to the left. This is the fairly new Museum of the Allies, which deals with the history of Cold War Berlin from the POV of the occupying forces.
There are lots of military vessels and memorabilia, as well as mostly bilingual information on important events in the history of Berlin, like the Berlin Blockade that happened in 1948 and 1949.
For the fellow urbexers among you: If you exit the museum and walk around the building to the top floor, you’ll find the atmospheric empty halls of a former staff cafeteria complete with rotting furniture and an old piano (plus, some nice graffiti that I found worth checking out).
The Station Buildings and Street Art Gallery
Obviously, the remaining structures of the radar station are the star attraction here. There are several buildings that you can explore and all of them have been decorated inside and out with some really cool street art.
It’s impossible to give a list of the best artworks here, both because of the sheer number of cool pieces and because describing their location accurately would be quite impossible. Also, I’m sure that there are new ones being added all the time, so just take a stroll around to find your favourites.
Some of the coolest pieces can be found in the three halls below the domes, where sometimes entire walls are covered by a single artwork. Plenty of them got me thinking, which is always a plus in my book.
The Viewing Platform
You can climb up one of the two outer staircases to get to the roof, where the large domes are. I really liked the great views northeast to central Berlin, but the views west to Wannsee Lake and further into Brandenburg were good, too.
It’s possible to take a peek into the smaller domes, which similar to the rooms, have been decorated inside and out. That said, I still found them most interesting because of the strange acoustics.
Unfortunately, you’re not allowed to climb the tall tower, probably because it’s slowly crumbling away.
Art Installations on the Grounds
The rest of the grounds have been decorated as well and the wooded area north of the station buildings is home to some weird and interesting sculptures.
There’s even a small hill you can climb to find a big wooden throne on top. How’s that for a fitting spot to sit down and let the artistic overload sink in?
Practicalities
How to Get There
The closest train stations are Grünewald on the S7 Line southeast of Teufelsberg and Heerstraße on the S5 Line northeast of Teufelsberg. From both of them it’s about a 30 minute walk through pretty woodland to reach the radar station.
I’ve found that the approach from Heerstraße Station has better views of the radar station, especially from the top of the bare Drachenberg (“Dragon’s Mountain”), which is another hill that consists of war-time debris.
How Much Is the Entrance Fee?
I paid 12€ to visit the station. You can walk around the perimeter for free to get a glimpse of the area, but if you want to explore the buildings and see the view, you’ll have to pay.
What Are the Opening Times?
It’s usually open from 11am until sunset. Double-check the times here before you go.
Other Cool Things to Do in Berlin
Visiting the Abandoned Spreepark Theme Park
Visiting Berlin’s Twin-Peaks-themed Black Lodge Bar