With VR at Checkpoint Charlie

30 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, the company for virtual time travel opens, TimeRide, on 24 August at Zimmerstrasse 91 in Berlin, right next to Checkpoint Charlie.

Dozens of buses are parked in front of the Palace of the Republic in the huge car park where the palace now stands. The tower blocks on Leipziger Strasse are fogged with exhaust fumes from Trabants and W50 lorries. And looking south from the Konzerthaus, behind the German Cathedral, which is missing its dome, you can see the GDR prefabricated building giants on Leipziger Strasse. The many gaps between buildings on Gendarmenmarkt have long since been filled with smart houses.

From 24 August, visitors can embark on a virtual journey through the divided Berlin of the 1980s. With VR, visitors can immerse themselves in the time 30 years ago. The highlight of the 45-minute journey through time is a VR tour through divided Berlin. Visitors take a seat in a bus from the 1980s, put on the VR glasses and they are right in the middle of the past.

During the virtual city tour, time travellers experience a security check at Checkpoint Charlie, drive along Friedrichstrasse and see the Palace of the Republic in its former glory. At the end of the journey, original pictures of the fall of the Berlin Wall remind us why this event has had such a profound impact on Germany to this day. TimeRide staff will take you on a journey through time, allowing you to experience Checkpoint Charlie from a completely new perspective and take a look through the Wall.

Travelling back in time with contemporary witnesses

Personal life stories take centre stage in the "Contemporary Witnesses" room. Oversized passports are intended to illustrate how many different fates there were in divided Berlin. Everyone dealt with the division and the GDR system in an individual way, everyone has different memories. Guests can choose with whom they would like to embark on their VR journey through time - the rebellious craftsman, the reflective architect or the non-conformist border crosser from the West.

TimeRide Berlin is to Cologne, about which we reportedand Dresden the third attraction from company boss Jonas Rothe. In Dresden, he is already using virtual reality (VR) to bring the worlds of the Baroque period to life, while in Cologne, visitors can immerse themselves in old Cologne during the imperial era. In Munich, a "heavenly journey through time" with virtual flights over Bavaria is planned.

"The exhibition concept is aimed at contemporary witnesses and future generations alike," says Jonas Rothe about the Berlin programme. The tour is designed for both individuals and school groups of eight or more and lasts around an hour. Tickets cost 14.50 euros, concessions 11.50 euros.

TimeRide Berlin at Zimmerstrasse 91 opens on 24 August and is open daily from 10 am to 8 pm.

Source: berliner-woche