Brandenburg Gate: Berlin's Enduring Symbol

Brandenburg Gate

Standing at the western end of Unter den Linden boulevard, the Brandenburg Gate is Berlin's most recognizable landmark and a symbol of German unity.

History

Built between 1788 and 1791 by Carl Gotthard Langhans, the neoclassical gate was originally a city gate and a symbol of peace, topped by the Quadriga sculpture of a chariot drawn by four horses. During the Cold War, it stood in the death strip between East and West Berlin, and its reopening in 1989 came to represent the fall of the Berlin Wall.

What to See

• The Quadriga statue atop the gate
• Pariser Platz, the square framed by embassies and the Hotel Adlon
• Nearby Reichstag building and Tiergarten park

Visiting Tips

The gate is beautifully illuminated at night and is a short walk from the Reichstag and Holocaust Memorial, making it easy to combine into a single walking tour of central Berlin.