The Berlin Wall was a physical barrier between East and West Berlin, built in 1961 to separate the two sides of the city. It was seen as a symbol of the Cold War, a political and ideological struggle between the Soviet Union and its allies on one side, and the United States and its allies on the other. The wall remained in place until 1989, when it was finally opened after huge pressure from citizens of both sides of the city. Since then, the wall has come to represent freedom and the end of an era defined by global divisions.
