Bond's Border Crossing (Checkpoint Charlie)

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'Checkpoint Charlie', Friedrichstraße, Berlin, Germany

Featured in Octopussy (1983)

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Bond meets M in West Berlin to pick up new travel documents so he can continue to follow Octopussy's circus, by crossing the border into East Berlin.

About

Checkpoint Charlie was the name given by the Allies to a crossing point in Berlin Wall located at the junction of Friedrichstraße with Zimmerstraße and Mauerstraße. It is perhaps one of the most famous checkpoints between East and West Germany. Erected on 13th August 1961, the wall stood as a cold, harsh reminder of the separation in Germany. This is especially the case when you learn of the many escape attempts that were made. Ranging from brute force, stealthy and using ingenuous ideas, some were very successful, other sadly failing badly.

Over the years the checkpoint has undergone a number of changes, from having the iconic guard tower removed, to the actual checkpoint itself changing in size. While the current checkpoint and famous 'You are leaving...' signs are replicas, it still provides an interesting look into the past.

Trivia

A few paces away from the actual checkpoint is the Museum Haus am Checkpoint Charlie » which cannot be missed. A large museum containing a variety of interesting artifacts and personal stories, it tells an informative history of the events happening in Berlin around this time. The excellent audio guide is highly recommended as it will give you a much greater understanding of the museums artifacts as you browse. §