The Berlin Wall was a strong concrete barrier stretching 97.2 miles built in 1961 by the communist government of East Germany. It cut off East Berlin from West Berlin. While the communist government attributed its construction to the protection of East Germans from fascist elements from the West, the West saw it as a symbol of communist suppression and lobbied for its destruction. The Berlin Wall was torn down in 1989 after the collapse of the Eastern Bloc to much fanfare. Due to the wall’s significance and symbolism during the Cold War, fragments of the walls were shipped all over the world. Remnants can be found in museums and other places of interest all over the world.
What Happened to All of the Pieces of the Berlin Wall?
United States
The United States has the most pieces of the Berlin Wall in North America, and pieces can be found in cities all over the country. The majority of fragments of the Berlin Wall are held by museums. The Wende Museum in Culver City, California boasts over ten sections of the Berlin Wall which are displayed in front of the 5900 Wilshire Boulevard building. They were placed here in 2009 during the commemoration of the 20 years since the fall of the wall. In Georgia, three sections are displayed at the National Infantry Museum and are a part of the US Army collections. One block of the Berlin Wall is located at a men’s washroom at a casino in Las Vegas known as Main Street Station Casino. The longest stretch of the Wall outside of Berlin is located on Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles with ten segments of the wall placed outside the Variety Building.
Casino at Main Street Station: Pee on the Berlin Wall (well, a urinal on the wall) - See 232 traveler reviews, 45 candid photos, and great deals for Las Vegas, NV, at TripAdvisor.
Vatican City
Vatican City hosts a fragment of the Berlin Wall which was donated to the Vatican by former Ferrari motorsport director, Marco Piccinini in August 1994. The chunk of the wall is located in the Vatican Gardens, an ancient serene location where popes meditate and relax.
South Korea
Three segments of the Berlin Wall are located in Seoul, South Korea near the Jiangtong Bridge of the Cheonggyecheon stream. The fragments are located in an open-air plaza known as Berlin Square whose construction was financed by the City of Berlin and was opened in 2005.
Spain
In the outskirts of the city of Madrid is a 233,000 square-meter park known as Parque Europa which features 17 replicas of the Berlin Wall and one original price of the wall. The segment was donated to the Parque Europa by the Torrejon de Ardoz town council.
Argentina
In 1991, Argentinian news company Perfil Group purchased 20 segments of the Berlin Wall. They are displayed at the company’s headquarters, the Perfil Group Building in the city of Buenos Aires.
United Kingdom
London has a few segments of the Berlin Wall with one being displayed in the Geraldine Mary Harmsworth Park which was acquired by the museum in 1991.
Why the Berlin Wall’s segments Were Taken to Different Places
The sections of the Berlin Wall are seen as symbols offreedom and unity among all people, which is why they are being kept bydifferent institutions and organizations. They are used to send a message offreedom. Organizations keep them as a form of advertisement and show historythat is unforgettable.
Although a portion of the wall is still preserved in Germany, pieces of the Berlin Wall wall can be found all over the world. The United States has the most pieces of the Berlin Wall in North America, and pieces can be found in cities all over the country. The majority of fragments of the Berlin Wall are held by museums. The Wende Museum in Culver City, California boasts over ten sections of the Berlin Wall which are displayed in front of the 5900 Wilshire Boulevard building.
What Happened to All of the Pieces of the Berlin Wall?
Rank | Country |
---|---|
1 | Albania |
2 | Belgium |
3 | Bulgaria |
4 | Denmark |
5 | Estonia |
6 | France |
7 | Germany |
8 | Greece |
9 | Hungary |
10 | Latvia |
11 | Luxembourg |
12 | Iceland |
13 | Italy |
14 | Norway |
15 | Poland |
16 | Portugal |
17 | Russia |
18 | Spain |
19 | Sweden |
20 | Ukraine |
21 | United Kingdom |
22 | Vatican City |
23 | South Africa |
24 | Australia |
25 | Bangladesh |
26 | Israel |
27 | Philippines |
28 | Singapore |
29 | South Korea |
30 | Taiwan |
31 | Japan |
32 | Argentina |
33 | Canada |
34 | Costa Rica |
35 | Mexico |
36 | United States |
About the Author
Benjamin Elisha Sawe holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Statistics and an MBA in Strategic Management. He is a frequent World Atlas contributor.
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Head off the beaten Vegas path and check out one of the city's best-kept secrets, Main Street Station Casino Brewery Hotel. Located on Main Street in Downtown Vegas, this Victorian-era themed Boyd Gaming property features a 420-room hotel and a 28,000 square foot casino.
Main Street Station Casino Brewery Hotel
The hotel at Main Street Station has 406 deluxe rooms and 14 suites. Deluxe rooms feature basic amenities as well as a flat screen TV, refrigerator and hair dryer. Rooms range in price usually from $49 per night to $175 per night, plus a daily resort fee of $14.99. The property's suites include the same features as the deluxe rooms but also have a sitting area and wet bar. Call (800) 465-0711 for suite rates.
A deluxe queen room.
Guests of the hotel may want to take advantage of Main Street Station's shuttle service, which goes to the California, Fremont, Sam’s Town and also to the Strip (Seating is limited. Early boarding is recommended). You can get the shuttle schedule at the bell desk.
The casino offers popular table games such as blackjack, craps, roulette, three card poker, Pai Gow poker, and Let it Ride as well as over 800 slots and video poker machines. If you are a VP player, there is a good selection of high-paying video poker games and there is a long-running, ongoing promotion where you get a scratch-off card usually worth somewhere between $2-$5 (they do go up to $5,000 if you're really lucky).
The casino at Main Street Station.
If you are planning to spend some time in the casino, be sure to join the B Connected players club. This card can be used at all Boyd gaming properties including The Orleans, Sam's Town and the Fremont as well as a few other Vegas casinos and even some properties in other states. Main Street Station is also very generous with room offers for out-of-state players club members.
As it says in the name, Main Street Station also features a brewery! Head to the Triple 7 Restaurant & Brewery for award winning microbrews, pizza, burgers and more. If you are feeling hungrier, you can also head to the Garden Court Buffet. The buffet features a little bit of everything and has a seafood night on Fridays and a prime rib and scampi night on Tuesdays and Saturdays. The buffet is $9.99 for breakfast, $10.99 for lunch and dinner is $13.99 on Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, $16.99 on Tuesdays and Saturdays and $29.99 on Fridays. There is also a champagne brunch on Saturdays ad Sundays for $14.99. If you have a B Connected card, you can get a discount on the buffet price (another great reason to join!).
The buffet.
There are also some unique antique pieces you can see at Main Street Station. You can find two of them in the Berlin Wall bathroom and the Boar's Head Bar. If you head to the mens restroom closest to the buffet (sorry ladies), you can check out a piece of history while you pee as the urinals are mounted on real pieces of the Berlin Wall, complete with graffiti. Check out the Boar's Head Bar to get a drink in a gorgeous Victorian-style parlor complete with marble counters an antique wild Boar bronzed statue. But don't worry, there are still TVs. You can take a self-guided tour to check out the rest of the pieces after picking up a detailed brochure and map at the front desk or bell desk.
The Boar's Head Bar.
If you're looking for some more modern entertainment, you can always head out to Fremont street to check out the Fremont Street Experience light show which runs every hour from dusk to midnight and is free to watch! You can also find a calendar of events on the Main Street Station website.
Main Street Station Casino Brewery Hotel is located at 200 North Main Street, Las Vegas, NV 89101. To find out more information or make reservations, visit http://www.mainstreetcasino.com/ or call (800) 465-0711.