About this place
Spanning the Havel between Potsdam and Berlin, the Glienicke Bridge became one of the most iconic frontiers of the Cold War. For decades a white line down its centre marked the border between the German Democratic Republic and Western Allied territory, and because the crossing fell under direct Soviet rather than East German control, it became the discreet stage for prisoner exchanges. Journalists christened it the Bridge of Spies, while the East German state hopefully named it the Bridge of Unity. Today you can walk freely from one side to the other, tracing a route that captured agents once crossed under armed guard, their fates decided by superpowers.
Key facts
- 128 meters — The length of the steel truss bridge spanning the Havel narrows between Potsdam and Berlin
- 1962 year — The first Cold War spy swap here traded U-2 pilot Gary Powers for Soviet agent Rudolf Abel
- 40 people — Agents and prisoners were exchanged on the bridge across its Cold War history
📍 Glienicker Brücke, 14467, Potsdam