Kollhoff Tower

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  View of the Potsdamer Platz skyline with Piano Tower (l), Kollhoff Tower (m) and Bahn Tower (r).

• Many people visit the Christmas market at Potsdamer Platz in Berlin, the Kollhoff Tower can be seen in the background (archive).

The Kollhoff Tower is the tallest building on Potsdamer Platz and part of a striking architectural ensemble. From the tower's observation deck, visitors can enjoy a sweeping view of Berlin.

At 103 meters, the Kollhoff Tower is the tallest building on Potsdamer Platz. The imposing tower is named after its architect Hans Kollhoff, who planned it on the model of American skyscrapers from the 1920s. Together with the adjacent high-rise by Piano and Kohlbecker, the Kollhoff Tower forms a striking architectural ensemble - visitors enter Potsdamer Platz as if through a large city gate.

The Kollhoff Tower was completed in 1999 after a four-year construction period. Its facade is made of ceramic material. The 25 floors of the high-rise building house mostly offices and some shops. The viewing platform "Panoramapunkt" on the 24th and 25th floors is particularly attractive for visitors. The fastest elevator in Europe takes you from the first floor all the way up to the fully glazed Panorama Café in just 20 seconds. Here, you can take a break from your stroll through the city over cake and enjoy your coffee with a sweeping panoramic view. Those who want to go even higher can climb a staircase to the 25th floor and discover the West Berlin skyline on the tower's sun deck.

Open-Air Exhibition in the Kollhoff Tower

The open-air exhibition "Berlin Views of Potsdamer Platz" provides information about the moving history of Potsdamer Platz at a height of over 100 meters. Visitors have the opportunity to make a direct comparison between the square as it used to be when Berlin was divided and now. The Berlin Wall once ran right through the middle of Potsdamer Platz. A metal strip embedded in the ground reminds visitors of its course - in addition, some original parts of the Wall can be found on the square. Visitors can use the exhibition to see how what used to be a no-man's land was transformed into a modern city district after the fall of the Wall.

Information

• Address:
  Potsdamer Platz 1
  10785 Berlin
  City map
• Internet: www.panoramapunkt.de
• Opening Hours: Viewing platform: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. (last ascent at 6:30 p.m.) Panorama Café: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Accessibility: The lower viewing platform is wheelchair accessible and can be accessed by elevator.
• Admission Fee:
  €9, concessions €7, children up to 6 years free, family ticket €19.50