I don’t think either HdO or the bunkers are easily accessible without a tour/guide. You can try, but there’s security with cameras at HdO, and cameras with security monitoring elsewhere. So my advice would be to take a tour if you want to see those. Otherwise you’ll need to take your own chances with being caught, or explore some of the less visited buildings – across the road from HdO, for example. But there’s always a risk someone will spot you somewhere and yell at you for being where you’re not supposed to be. That’s just the way it goes.

Thanks for everything here, Spudnik!

What would be advice for staying clear of workers/occupants of the new developments? Is HdO or the bunkers easier to spend some relatively safe time in without a tour? Do we now need to access in a different location?

Thanks Anon! Yes that corresponds with what I found on my last visit too. I think for Haus der Offiziere now the only option is to cough up for, and then put up with, a tour :/

Came here today. Getting onto the premises of Haus der Offiziere is very difficult; security is pretty tight and they patrol the entire complex, both on foot and by car. At least one of the guards was kind, I asked him if he would let me in just to get a photo of the Lenin statue… not to my surprise, he said no lol.

I did enter the side of the complex opposite that of the Haus der Offiziere by going over the fence with relative ease, however there wasn’t much to see but 4-6 mostly empty and deteriorated buildings. There was also construction going on in that part of the complex.

It seems a large part of the verbotene Stadt has already become / is in the progress of becoming apartments. It’s quite odd, as the ones that are completed are (ugly af) amongst the abandoned buildings, separated only by a sh**ty fence.

Never fear CE! I’m gonna update this page with the latest developments within the next couple of weeks. All is not lost!

Oh no! This whole page was building so much anticipation until reading this comment. So bummed out. Any news by now? I am going to Germany in a month from very far and I would have loved to visit.

The cameras in the other part of town, around the building beside the other Lenin, are not fake.

These “cameras” ever have been fake…

According to signs at the property gates, if you are inclined, you can book a tour with Go2Know, Fototouren Berlin, or Bunkerstadt.