Wachturm
The Wachturm stands near Potsdamer Platz in Berlin, preserving a concrete fragment of the former inner-German border.
This DDR watchtower belongs to the BT 6 design. From outside, you see a round base supporting an octagonal observation deck, with two iron ladders inside. Those ladders lead upward through the narrow shaft.
Built in 1971, the tower served as a border observation post during the Cold War and received monument protection in 2001. Two border guards staffed it in shifts. From the deck, guards could watch the border area, the Tiergarten, and sightlines reaching toward the Brandenburg Gate. Similar towers once formed part of the Berlin Wall’s border security system.
Massive concrete segments gave the structure durability and protected the guards inside. Later designs used larger, square bases for emergencies. Today, this solitary BT 6 tower offers a tangible Cold War landmark beside Potsdamer Platz.
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