Imagine a garden fence stretched around Berlin. That gives you an idea of the Berlin Customs Wall. It wasn’t about military defense. It was about money.
The Berlin Customs Wall we’re standing near was built between 1734 and 1737. Frederick William I, the Soldier King of Prussia, ordered its construction. He needed funds for his growing army. The Berlin Customs Wall was his solution.
Before this wall, there was a medieval wall made of rocks and bricks. Then came the Berlin Fortress. But Friedrich Wilhelm I needed more revenue. He introduced an excise tax on goods entering the city. To maximize tax collection, he built the Berlin Customs Wall.
This wall stretched for almost 16 kilometers. Walking its entire length took about three hours. The Berlin Customs Wall encircled not only the city, but also fields and gardens. Kreuzberg and Friedrichshain were mostly countryside back then.
The Berlin Customs Wall had 18 city gates and two river gates. The Brandenburg Gate was one of them. Today, it’s the only gate that remains. Each gate was guarded by a clerk. They checked wagons and collected taxes. Luxury goods like coffee were taxed heavily. This tempted soldiers to become smugglers.
Farmers near the Berlin Customs Wall had to lock up their ladders. They didn’t want them used for illegal entries or exits. The wall also helped prevent soldiers from deserting. If a soldier ran away, a cannon would sound. Farmers were expected to help find the runaway.
Between 1786 and 1802, the wooden parts of the Berlin Customs Wall were replaced with stone. The wall became four meters high. This stopped smuggling but stopped the wall from being moved. By 1840, more of Berlin was outside the wall than inside.
As Berlin grew, the Berlin Customs Wall became a hindrance. In 1860, it was abolished. Berlin absorbed its suburbs and the city’s population doubled. The Berlin Customs Wall was mostly torn down between 1867 and 1870.
The route of the Berlin Customs Wall is still visible today. Streets like Stresemannstraße and Torstraße follow its path. Metro stations like Schlesisches Tor are reminders of its heritage.
The millions of bricks from the Berlin Customs Wall were recycled. They were used to build housing. So as you explore Berlin, remember the Berlin Customs Wall. It shaped the city we see today.