Berlin Celebrates 100 Years of the Traffic Light at Potsdamer Platz

The iconic traffic control system, first introduced in 1924, revolutionized urban mobility and safety.

The original traffic light tower at Potsdamer Platz was introduced on October 20, 1924, to manage the chaotic traffic in Berlin, which included cars, trams, and horse-drawn carriages.
The installation of the traffic light system was a cost-saving measure for Berlin, reducing the need for multiple policemen to direct traffic manually.
Despite initial technical challenges, such as a 1926 incident where all lights turned green simultaneously, the introduction of the 'green wave' improved traffic flow and became a model for other cities.
The debate continues over whether Berlin or Hamburg had the first German traffic light, with Hamburg's 1922 installation serving tram traffic exclusively.
The concept of traffic lights originated in London in 1868, with the first electric version appearing in Cleveland, USA, in 1914, before becoming a staple of urban traffic management worldwide.