Current language: English

Topography of Terror

  • Topographie des Terrors (4)
  • Topographie des Terrors (1)
  • Topographie des Terrors

    Visitors stand in front of the display boards on the grounds of the "Topography of Terror" memorial and remembrance site.

  • Topographie des Terrors (2)
  • Der kalte Blick (2)

    A young woman walks through the exhibition "The Cold Gaze - Last Pictures of Jewish Families from the Tarnów Ghetto" in the Topography of Terror. (Archive)

The Topography of Terror, a center for the documentation of Nazi crimes, is one of the most visited places of remembrance in Berlin.

The site in Niederkirchnerstraße, which became known as the Topografie des Terrors (Topography of Terror) in 1987, was home to the main institutions of National Socialist terror between 1933 and 1945. The Reichsführung-SS (SS Main Office), the Sicherheitsdienst (SD), the Geheime Staatspolizeiamt (Gestapo) including the prison and the Reichssicherheitshauptamt (Reich Security Main Office) were located on the site near Potsdamer Platz. Today, the site is a place of remembrance that contributes to coming to terms with the terror regime with its permanent exhibitions as well as its educational and event program.

From wasteland to the Topography of Terror

Partially destroyed during the war, rendered unrecognizable by demolition and conversion after the end of the war and forgotten, this historic site has been rediscovered since the early 1980s and gradually re-established in the historical memory of Berlin and the Federal Republic of Germany. A partially derelict site in the shadow of the Berlin Wall finally became a documentation site of Nazi crimes that attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors every year.

Topography of Terror: Current exhibitions and events

Berlin 1933-1945

The exhibition "Berlin 1933-1945. Between Propaganda and Terror" focuses on National Socialist policies in Berlin and their consequences for the city and its population. more

The historical site "Topography of Terror

The tour of the site comprises 15 stations and is designed to complement the permanent exhibition "Topography of Terror" in the building. It attempts to introduce the visitor to the history of the site at the immediate location. Information desks with... more

‘The Nazis didn’t just disappear.’

80 years ago, at the end of the Second World War, Europe lay in ruins. The Nazi regime had persecuted and murdered millions of people and had laid to waste and plundered large parts of the European continent. After 1945, the Germans struggled to come... more

Topography of Terror

The permanent exhibition "Topography of Terror" focuses on the central institutions of the SS and police in the "Third Reich" as well as the crimes committed by them throughout Europe. Visitors are guided through the topics of the five main chapters along... more

Address, Opening Hours and Contact Information

Map view

A map view follows. Skip map

City map

End of map view

 Address
Niederkirchnerstraße 8
10963 Berlin
Phone
+49 (0)30 254 509 50
Internet
www.topographie.de
Opening Hours
Daily from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., outdoor areas until dusk (8 p.m. at the latest). Closed on 24 and 31 December and 1 January.
Guided Tours
Free guided tours in German every Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m.
Accessibility
Access to the grounds and the exhibitions are barrier-free for wheelchair users. Special audio guides and guided tours are available for blind and visually impaired visitors.
Admission Fee
Free

Public transportation

Related Content

Topografie des Terrors

Traces of National Socialism in Berlin

The Third Reich and the Nazi era in Berlin: These places and memorials today commemorate the Nazi era in Berlin. An overview with addresses, descriptions, guided tours and more.  more

Bode-Museum

Museums in Berlin

Berlin's top museums with adresses, informations, opening hours and public transport.  more

Source: Topographie des Terrors, Editing: berlin.de

Last edited: 17 April 2025