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Brandenburg Gate And Pariser Platz

Symbol of German Reunification

The Brandenburg Gate is located in the heart of Berlin, with Pariser Platz on the east side being the start of the Unter den Linden Boulevard. The Brandenburg Gate was first built in 1788, and this neoclassical building is the only remaining gate in Berlin, witnessing historic moments such World War II, and the unification of East and West Germany.

The Brandenburg Gate is located in the heart of Berlin, and on east and west sides, it connects the city’s two main traffic arteries: Unter den Linden and the 17th of June Street (Strasse des 17. Juni).

The Brandenburg Gate was once one of Berlin’s 18 gates, and is the only one that remains today. The Neoclassical Architecture is supported by 12 Doric columns, and the stone walls between the front and back columns divide the gate into five passages. These 15 meters high stone walls are inscribed with Hercules, Athena and other Mythical Figure Reliefs.

Manywhere Trivia:
Like the Meridian Gate of the Forbidden City of Beijing, the passage right in the middle of the Brandenburg Gate is slightly wider than the rest, and is only accessible to members of the royal family.

The Quadriga

In 1788 King Frederick William II of Prussia ordered the construction of the Brandenburg Gate, and soon afterward, a Quadriga (Four Horse Chariot Statue of Victoria) was added to the top of the gate, as a symbol of victory in the Seven Years War. In 1806 Napoleon led the French army captured Berlin, brought the Quadriga back to Paris as a trophy. In 1814 Prussia occupied Paris in the war against France, took the statue back, and named the square on the east side of the Brandenburg Gate as Pariser Platz (The Paris Square). After the March Revolution in Germany in 1848, the square west of the gate was renamed Platz des 18. März (18th of March Square).

Napoleon leads his army through the Brandenburg Gate

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Manywhere Trivia:
As one of the most important landmarks in Berlin and even Germany, the Brandenburg Gate has been featured in a variety of video games: from Call of Duty and Medal of Honor to Sniper Elite …… and even the famous Civilization series.

The Brandenburg Gate and Pariser Platz were badly damaged in the devastation of World War II, and were separated by the Berlin Wall shortly after the war ended. At the end of the 20th century, the hopes of the people came true when the Berlin Wall, which had blocked off the Brandenburg Gate, was torn down and the Gate once again became a witness to the unification of East and West Germany.

After dozens of months of renovation, the Brandenburg Gate was opened to the world with a new look. Not only were the sides of the gate replaced with Unified Style Colonnades, but the buildings on both sides of Pariser Platz were rebuilt one after the other. With the relocation of the American and French embassies and the Hotel Adlon, as well as the opening of museums, restaurants and cafes, the Brandenburg Gate and Pariser Platz became Berlin’s most popular tourist destination.

The sun rises and sets, and the war is watched over with disorientation. The wreath-bearing goddess of victory guards Berlin day in and day out, welcoming visitors with open wings and conveying the hard-won peace of the city.