Maps of Movies
Wings of Desire (1987)
Where Wings of Desire says it takes place, and where it was really shot.
Angels over a divided Berlin, filmed in real West Berlin places, with one Wall scene that was a built set
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Scenes and places
The angels watch divided Berlin (1987)
Damiel and Cassiel watch divided Berlin, unseen and unheard, and listen to what its people think. Their job, as Cassiel puts it, is to assemble, testify and preserve.
Set in Berlin, from above the Victory Column — Two angels watch the divided city and listen to the thoughts of the people below. Google Maps · Apple Maps
The Victory Column stands in the Tiergarten, in the middle of what was West Berlin.
Filmed at Siegessäule (Victory Column), Tiergarten (Tiergarten, Berlin, Germany) — Wikipedia lists the Siegessäule first among the real West Berlin filming locations; the German article adds that the angel here is a studio replica. Google Maps · Apple Maps
How to get there:
The circus that is about to close (1987)
Marion, a trapeze artist, lives alone in a caravan in West Berlin. Her circus is closing down, and Damiel, who cannot touch the world, starts to fall in love with her.
Set in Circus Alekan, West Berlin — The circus where Marion works as a trapeze artist, which receives the news that it will close. Google Maps · Apple Maps
A park in Kreuzberg stood in for the circus ground.
Filmed at Theodor-Wolff-Park, Kreuzberg (Kreuzberg, Berlin, Germany) — Wikipedia: the site of the circus. Google Maps · Apple Maps
How to get there:
The old man who cannot find Potsdamer Platz (1987)
Homer, an old storyteller, walks into an open field looking for Potsdamer Platz, while Cassiel follows him. He finds nothing but a graffiti-covered Wall.
Set in Potsdamer Platz (as a wasteland) — An old man looks for the famous square in an open field and finds only the Wall. Google Maps · Apple Maps
Before redevelopment this was empty ground at the edge of the Wall, with a disused elevated M-Bahn track.
Filmed at Potsdamer Platz (before redevelopment), with the disused M-Bahn viaduct (Mitte · Potsdamer Platz, Berlin, Germany) — Shot on the empty ground before redevelopment, beside the disused elevated M-Bahn track. Google Maps · Apple Maps
How to get there:
Peter Falk makes a film in the bunker (1987)
The actor Peter Falk arrives in West Berlin to make a film about the city's Nazi past. The scenes of the film within the film are set in a bunker.
Set in A film set about Berlin's Nazi past — Peter Falk is in town to shoot a film about the city's Nazi past. Google Maps · Apple Maps
A concrete high bunker on Pallasstraße in Schöneberg.
Filmed at Hochbunker Pallasstraße, Schöneberg (Schöneberg · Pallasstraße, Berlin, Germany) — Wikipedia: Peter Falk's film set. Google Maps · Apple Maps
How to get there:
The death strip where Damiel decides (1987)
Damiel announces that he wants to become human. The scene looks like the Wall's border strip, but it was shot on a set built for the film.
Set in The death strip along the Wall — The border strip along the Berlin Wall, where Damiel announces his decision to become human.
Most Wall shots in the film are genuine; this one is a built set, and its site is not recorded.
The concert where Damiel and Marion meet (1987)
Damiel meets Marion at a bar during a Nick Cave concert. For the first time he stands in front of her as a person.
Set in Concert hall, West Berlin — The bar and concert where Damiel meets Marion. Google Maps · Apple Maps
The surviving rooms of the Hotel Esplanade were moved and built into the Sony Center.
Filmed at Hotel Esplanade remains, Sony Center, Potsdamer Platz (Tiergarten · Potsdamer Platz, Berlin, Germany) — The concert scenes were shot in the remains of the Hotel Esplanade, since moved and built into the Sony Center. The point is the former hotel site. Google Maps · Apple Maps
How to get there:
Filmed at Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin, Haus Potsdamer Straße (Kulturforum · Potsdamer Straße, Berlin, Germany) — The angels listen to the library readers' thoughts Google Maps · Apple Maps
Filmed at Langenscheidtbrücke, Schöneberg (Schöneberg, Berlin, Germany) — The motorcycle accident Google Maps · Apple Maps
Filmed at Anhalter Bahnhof, surviving façade (Kreuzberg · Askanischer Platz, Berlin, Germany) — The ruined railway station Google Maps · Apple Maps
Filmed at Oranienstraße, Kreuzberg (Kreuzberg · Oranienstraße, Berlin, Germany) — Damiel in the Kreuzberg street Google Maps · Apple Maps
Filmed at U-Bahnhof Güntzelstraße (Wilmersdorf · Güntzelstraße, Berlin, Germany) — The underground station Google Maps · Apple Maps
Filmed at Lohmühlenbrücke, Treptow/Neukölln border (Treptow · Neukölln, Berlin, Germany) — The bridge on the Wall's edge Google Maps · Apple Maps
Characters
- Damiel — An angel who watches Berlin and begins to long for the limits of human life.
- Cassiel — Damiel's fellow angel, who follows the old man Homer through the city.
- Marion — A lonely trapeze artist whose circus is closing down.
- Homer — An old man who dreams of an "epic of peace" and looks for Potsdamer Platz.