What was the length of the Berlin Wall in kilometers?

The Berlin Wall was 155 kilometers long. That figure refers to the fortified barrier system surrounding West Berlin, not merely the best-known concrete sections running through the city.

Construction began on 13 August 1961, when East German authorities sealed the border between East and West Berlin. The barrier eventually included concrete walls, fences, minefields, watchtowers, floodlights, patrol roads, and a heavily guarded strip often called the “death strip.” About 43 kilometers of the fortification ran through Berlin itself, while the rest encircled West Berlin and separated it from the surrounding East German territory.

A common mix-up is confusing the Wall’s total length with the length of the inner-city sections. The Wall stood for more than 28 years and became the most recognizable physical symbol of the Cold War. Its opening on 9 November 1989 began the process that led to German reunification on 3 October 1990.