A picture showing the Brandenburg Gate with the Quadriga. The words "Berlin Sights", "Brandenburg Gate", "Reichstag" and "Berlin Africa Conference" are superimposed.

Tour

Sights Under Scrutiny—Traces of the Colonial Era in Berlin Mitte

Take a fresh look at well-known landmarks and explore traces of colonial history in Berlin’s cityscape. This tour of Berlin Mitte connects repressed colonial history with contemporary perspectives.

About this tour

At 2 p.m. in English 🇬🇧
At 11 a.m. in German 🇩🇪
2 hours
Across from the Berlin Pavilion, at Scheidemannstrasse 1, at the bus stop near the Reichstag building
Anton Wilhelm Amo Street
Wheelchair users

Your experience

✓ Black people like Anton-Wilhelm Amo have lived in Germany since the 18th century. Learn more about him and the street named after him.

✓ The Great Elector not only transformed the Tiergarten into a park, but was also involved in the transatlantic slave trade. We’ll explain how.

✓ Colonial policy was shaped in the Reichstag building starting in 1894. Here, you’ll learn which decisions continue to shape German identity to this day.

✓ Brandenburg Gate: What role do architecture and art play in colonial propaganda?

✓ Join us on a visit to the Sinti and Roma memorial and the memorial to the murdered Jewish people, and learn about the struggles behind them.

✓ Wilhelmstraße: Why is the Berlin Africa Conference one of the most important historical events in the world, and why don't we know anything about it?

✓ ★★★★★ 5.0 (1,200+ reviews)

✓ Tickets cost €29 per person

Who is considered German in Germany, and who is not?

This question was already being asked during the colonial era and continues to influence the lives of people of color in Germany to this day.

The national borders of the African continent today are based on a four-month conference held in 1884: the so-called Congo or Berlin Africa Conference.

Despite the importance of this conference, very few people know about it.

On this tour, we'll take a closer look at Germany's culture of remembrance.

Which stories are being told, and which ones are missing?

Who was Anton Wilhelm Amo? In 2025, after a 40-year struggle, a street was renamed in his honor.

Anton-Wilhelm Amo was a philosopher from Ghana who demonstrates that Black people have also been part of German society since the 18th century. Nevertheless, we often do not know their names.

This tour opens up colonial historical perspectives in Berlin-Mitte beyond the usual narratives. We combine historical facts with current debates about racism, the culture of remembrance and decolonization in the city.

This tour is for anyone interested in history, social contexts, and new perspectives on the city. Whether you're a Berliner or a visitor, this guided tour is sure to leave a lasting impression.

Behind the Brandenburg Gate, the Reichstag, and Anton-Wilhelm-Amo Street lies more than just postcard-perfect tourist sights. Our decolonial city tour shows how deeply colonialism is still rooted in Berlin’s cityscape today—and why this affects all of us.

- Tip for the tour guides

- Transportation from or to your own accommodation

- Drinks or snacks

- Rain or sun protection

- Group tours can be requested for Monday to Sunday at flexible times.

- Cash payments are possible for public tours in exceptional cases.

– Dogs are allowed as long as they are on a leash and do not disturb anyone.

Select an available date and time.

Man explaining to a group of women during a queer city tour in Berlin, with a picture in his hand.

We offer private tours, workshops and lectures

Get out of the office or classroom! Take your friends and family on an exciting weekend trip! Come and experience a tour that will give you plenty to discuss and stimulate you.

Impressions

Our tour guides

Frequently asked questions

Information about the tour

This city tour connects well-known landmarks such as the Brandenburg Gate, the Reichstag, and Wilhelmstraße with the history of German colonialism. Instead of just the usual facts, you’ll learn about the colonial connections hidden behind Berlin’s famous sites. Berlin was the political center of the German Empire and played a decisive role in the planning and administration of German colonial policy. Political decisions were made in Berlin that had a lasting impact on the former German colonies in Africa and the Pacific.
Many Berliners walk past the Brandenburg Gate or the Reichstag every day without realizing their colonial connections. The tour shows familiar places from a new perspective and invites you to rediscover history within today’s cityscape.
Yes. Visitors who are already familiar with the classic sights or who want to experience Berlin off the beaten path will gain a new perspective on the capital.

General topics

You can postpone the date. Just write us an e-mail in advance with your order number and the desired alternative date.

Cancellations are not possible. 

Comfortable shoes, possibly a hot drink in a thermos flask or refreshing drink. Umbrella or sun protection depending on the weather.

We recommend participation from the age of 14.

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