Friedrichshain

Friedrichshain is the eastern side of the Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg district, though the two areas were only joined together in 2001 and are still referred to separately. Friedrichshain was one of the most badly damaged areas of Berlin during World War II due to the large amount of industry located there, which was targeted by the bombings. After the war once the city was divided, the border between East and West ran in between Friedrichshain and Kreuzberg, leaving Friedrichshain in East Berlin.
After the wall came down, Friedrichshain was an attractive place to live because of the low rents and abundance of empty apartments. Today it remains a popular neighborhood to live in, though prices have been going up over the past few years. Friedrichshain has many restaurants, bars and clubs, as well as theaters and parks. The Ostbahnhof (East Train Station) is also located in Friedrichshain.
One of the most famous sights in Friedrichshain is the East Side Gallery. It is the longest remaining stretch of the Berlin Wall, and it is now covered in artwork that speaks of politics, discrimination, world peace, and other thought-provoking topics. Most of Karl-Marx-Allee is also in Friedrichshain.
Along Karl-Marx-Allee you'll find Frankfurter Tor, two landmark towers that were built in the 1950s when the street was called Stalinallee. The Oberbaum Bridge, which crosses the River Spree, connects Friedrichshain with Kreuzberg.