The Brandenburg Gate is a famous architectural monument located in the center of Berlin, in the eastern part of Paris Square (Pariserplatz). Like the Colosseum in Rome, Big Ben in London, St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna or the Eiffel Tower in Paris, the Brandenburg Gate has long been the hallmark of Berlin, a symbol of a united Germany and one of the main tourist attractions of the capital. This is the most recognizable Berlin landmark, from which construction began in the so-called Berlin classic style.
The initiative to build the Brandenburg Gate belonged to Friedrich Wilhelm II of Prussia, who wanted to improve the approaches to the Unter den Linden Boulevard. The project was designed by Karl Gotthard Langhans - he took inspiration from the Acropolis of Athens, and Johann Gottfried Schadow created the famous quadriga and placed it on top of the gate. The chariot, drawn by four horses, is driven by Victoria, the goddess of victory. The height of the decorative element is 6 meters.
Construction continued in 1788-1791. Limestone was used as the main material, which was later painted with an attractive white paint. The height of the gate was 26 meters, length – 65.5 meters, depth – 11 meters. It should be noted that the building was originally called the “Gateway of Peace.”
The upper part of the building rests on 12 columns arranged in two rows. They form five arches. The columns are made in the Doric style, which was formed in Ancient Greece around 600 BC.
Internal walls were erected in the passages between the columns. They are decorated with bas-reliefs depicting the heroic deeds of Hercules.
In the north wing, at the former checkpoint, there is a “room of silence” where Germans can honor the memory of their ancestors and reflect on the tragic events that occurred in their country.
The Brandenburg Gate has witnessed many tragic events that have seriously affected it. When Napoleon Bonaparte entered Berlin with his army, on his orders the quadriga was removed and sent to France, but after Napoleon's defeat - more than 8 years later - it was returned again.
The gate suffered the most during II World War II, in 1945, when Berlin was captured. This is what he looked like then:
Since 1961, the Brandenburg Gate has been part of the Berlin Wall, which divided the city into two parts. When the wall was demolished in 1989, the gate was significantly damaged by the angry population. It was first restored in 1991, and then in 2000-2002. Residents were asked to choose the color of the building themselves: a four-color alabaster copy was to be placed next to the original. Everyone could choose any color from them, for which they had to throw a coin into the corresponding hole. The majority chose white.
Near the Brandenburg Gate there are Madame Tussauds, the Holocaust Memorial, the Reichstag, the Unter den Linden boulevard and the Tiergarten park.
At night, the gates are illuminated, which gives them an even more majestic and solemn appearance.
How to get to the Brandenburg Gate:
- on metro line U55, stop Brandenburger Tor;
- by bus No. 100, S1, TXL, stop Brandenburger Tor;
- by commuter train S1, S2, S25, S26, stop Brandenburger Tor.
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