Photo: Hunter Desportes
The 50th anniversary of the Berlin Wall was observed over the weekend with city-wide ceremonies and the opening of an expanded memorial.
The photos compiled by The Big Picture capture solemn moments from the weekend’s services mixed with historical images from the height of the Cold War to the wall’s dismantling in 1989. I’d love to see what’s left of the wall in person — especially the East Side Gallery, which despite restoration attempts is also deteriorating due to time, vandalism, and neglect.
View the photo essay and check out my favorite shot, photo number 23.
For more about Berlin, visit our destination page. 
Sarah Park
Sarah Park is currently spending her quarter-life crisis in the beautiful Eastern Sierra. She spends her days snowboarding, hiking and not at all slipping into a soul-devouring existential dilemma. Don't worry, she's kidding... kinda.
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Those are great photos! I went to Berlin in 2007 and loved it there. There is such a unique combination of the modern with the history. I took pics of the remaining portion of the wall, but it seems like sch a forgotten memory in this modern city!