Berlin is the ancient capital of Germany. The first mentioning of the city dates back to 13th century when the city was the capital of Prussia. Over the past centuries, Berlin has grown into one of the largest urban areas in Europe. The city is known for its beautiful architecture and rich cultural traditions. Below we only discuss one monument that attracts thousands of visitors every day, the Brandenburg Gate.
The Brandenburg Gate ('Brandenburger Tor' in German) is a triumphal arch located in the center of Berlin. It is considered as one of the city's symbols. The building proudly sits at the Paris Square as a reminder of the time when travelers were entering Berlin through it. The gate was commissioned by Friedrich Wilhelm II as a symbol of peace. It was designed and built by Carl Gotthard Langhans from 1788 to 1791. The Brandenburg Gate is 26 meters in height, 65.5 meters in length and the thickness of walls is 11 meters. The Gate consists of twelve Greek Doric columns, six on each side. Their creation was inspired by the ancient Greek Propylaea, the monumental entrance to the famous Parthenon in Athens.
Above the gate you can see the famous and often photographed Quadriga by Gottfried Schadow, built in 1793. It depicts a statue of the goddess of Peace riding a chariot with four horses. Napoleon liked this quadriga so much that he had ordered to dismount and take it to Paris. When in 1814 Quadriga was returned to Berlin, the statue replaced its olive wreath with an Iron Cross and became the goddess of Victory.
The northern part of the gate is adjacent to the Reichstag, which is a monument ending the Unter den Linden street, a famous boulevard with lime trees leading directly to the Royal residence.
When the Nazis came to power in 1933, they used the gate as a symbol of their power. In 1945, the gate was the only high building among the ruins of the Pariser Platz. In the Hall of Silence, built in one of the rooms of security guards in the northern part of the Gate, visitors are invited to remember and reflect on the past of Germany. After the World War II, the Gate was restored by the governments of the Eastern and Western Berlin.
The Brandenburg Gate ('Brandenburger Tor' in German) is a triumphal arch located in the center of Berlin. It is considered as one of the city's symbols. The building proudly sits at the Paris Square as a reminder of the time when travelers were entering Berlin through it. The gate was commissioned by Friedrich Wilhelm II as a symbol of peace. It was designed and built by Carl Gotthard Langhans from 1788 to 1791. The Brandenburg Gate is 26 meters in height, 65.5 meters in length and the thickness of walls is 11 meters. The Gate consists of twelve Greek Doric columns, six on each side. Their creation was inspired by the ancient Greek Propylaea, the monumental entrance to the famous Parthenon in Athens.
Above the gate you can see the famous and often photographed Quadriga by Gottfried Schadow, built in 1793. It depicts a statue of the goddess of Peace riding a chariot with four horses. Napoleon liked this quadriga so much that he had ordered to dismount and take it to Paris. When in 1814 Quadriga was returned to Berlin, the statue replaced its olive wreath with an Iron Cross and became the goddess of Victory.
The northern part of the gate is adjacent to the Reichstag, which is a monument ending the Unter den Linden street, a famous boulevard with lime trees leading directly to the Royal residence.
When the Nazis came to power in 1933, they used the gate as a symbol of their power. In 1945, the gate was the only high building among the ruins of the Pariser Platz. In the Hall of Silence, built in one of the rooms of security guards in the northern part of the Gate, visitors are invited to remember and reflect on the past of Germany. After the World War II, the Gate was restored by the governments of the Eastern and Western Berlin.
However, in 1961, it was cut in two by the newly built Berlin Wall that divided the eastern and western parts of the city, and the monument was closed to the public. It was re-opened only on 22nd December 1989, when the Berlin Wall was finally demolished and the West Germany Chancellor Helmut Kohl entered the Gate to welcome the East Germany Prime Minister Hans Modrow. Since then, the Brandenburg Gate has become a symbol of peace and unity of Berlin.
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