Brandenburg Gate

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The Brandenburg Gate

The Brandenburg Gate (German: Brandenburger Tor) is a former city gate and one of the main symbols of Berlin, Germany. It is located between the Pariser Platz and the Platz des 18. März and is the only remaining gate of a series through which one formerly entered Berlin. One block to its north lies the Reichstag. It constitutes the monumental termination of Unter den Linden, the renowned boulevard of linden (lime) trees which led directly to the royal residence. It was commissioned by Friedrich Wilhelm II as a sign of peace and built by Carl Gotthard Langhans from 1788 to 1791.

1 Design and history
2 Location
3 Photo gallery
4 See also
5 External links

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The Brandenburg Gate consists of twelve Doric columns, six to each side, forming five roadways; citizens originally were allowed to use only the outer two. Atop the gate is the Quadriga, with Viktoria, the goddess of victory driving the Quadriga. The gate is 26.00 metres (65 ft) high, 65.50 metres (213 ft) wide, and 11.00 metres (36 ft) thick.

The Gate's design is based upon the Propylea, the gateway to the Acropolis in Athens, Greece. Berlin's history of architectural classicism is long: first, Baroque, and then neo-Palladian. The Gate was the first Athens on the River Spree") by architect Karl Gotthard von Langhans. The capital Quadriga was made by Johann Gottfried Schadow.

Napoleon in Berlin.

The Brandenburg Gate's design has remained unchanged since its completion, yet it has played different political roles in German history. After the 1806 Prussian defeat at the Battle of Jena-Auerstedt, Napoleon took the Quadriga to Paris, however, after his defeat in 1814 and the Prussian Parisian occupation by General Ernst von Pfuel, the Quadriga was restored to Berlin, and Viktoria's olive wreath exchanged for the Iron Cross, becoming goddess of victory.

When the Nazis ascended to power they used the Gate as their symbol. The Gate survived World War II and was one of few structures standing in the Pariser Platz ruins in 1945, another being the Academy of Fine Arts. The governments of East Berlin and West Berlin restored it, but the gate was closed when the Berlin Wall was erected in 1961.

In 1963, U.S. President John F. Kennedy visited the Brandenburg Gate. The Soviets hung large banners across it to prevent him looking into the East. In the 1980s, decrying the existence of two German states, West Berlin mayor Richard von Weizsäcker said: The German question will remain open as long as the Brandenburg Gate is closed.

On June 12, 1987, U.S. President Ronald Reagan spoke to the West Berlin populace at the Brandenburg Gate, demanding the razing of the Berlin Wall by addressing CPSU General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev:

“

General Secretary Gorbachev, if you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, if you seek liberalization: Come here to this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!

”

When the Revolutions of 1989 collapsed the Berlin Wall, the Gate then symbolized the freedom to unity of the City of Berlin. On the 22nd of December 1989, the Brandenburg Gate re-opened when Helmut Kohl, the West German Chancellor, walked through to be greeted by Hans Modrow, the East German Prime Minister.

On July 12, 1994, U.S. President Bill Clinton spoke to Berlin at the Gate, about peace in post-Cold War Europe.

On December 21, 2000, the Brandenburg Gate was privately refurbished at a 3 million dollar cost.

Street map of the Brandenburg Gate's location (GlobalGuide)

Napoleon in Berlin.		The Brandenburg Gate in 1871	The Brandenburg Gate on the day construction of the Berlin Wall began, August 13th 1961
The Brandenburg Gate in 1982 viewed from the East Berlin side. Behind the gate is the Berlin Wall and in the foreground is the rail that was accessible from East Berlin.	Ronald Reagan giving a speech on June 12, 1987	Germans celebrating the fall of the Berlin Wall near the Brandenburg Gate	The Brandenburg Gate
The Quadriga atop the Brandenbrug Gate (August 2003)	The Brandenburg Gate appears on the obverse of the 50, 20 and 10 cent German euro coins	Brandenburg Gate at night, facing west. The Tiergarten in background