Berlin-Mitte Travel Tip:
Brandenburg Gate
The Brandenburg Gate
The Brandenburg Gate is one of Berlin’s most important monuments – a landmark and symbol all in one with over two hundred years of history. A former symbol of the divided city, it drew visitors who used to climb an observation platform in order to get a glimpse of the world behind the Iron Curtain, on the other side of the barren death-strip
which separated east from west Berlin, geographically and politically. It was here that on June 12, 1987, Ronald Regan issued his stern command to his cold war adversary admonishing him with the words: Mr. Gorbachov – tear down this wall!
. The speech delivered to West Berliners was also audible on the east side of the Gate and echoed President von Weizsacker’s words which translate as: The German question is open as long as the Brandenburg Gate is closed.
The Brandenburg Gate was erected between 1788 and 1791 according to designs by Carl Gotthard Langhans whose vision was inspired by the Propyläen in Athens’ Acropolis. Prussian sovereign Friedrich Wilhelm II was looking for a suitable architectural statement to enhance the approach into the Boulevard Unter den Linden. The classical sandstone work is one of the masterpieces of this era and is the only surviving one of 18 previous city portals. The Quadriga, a sculpture representing the Goddess of Victory, by Johan Gottfried Schadow which can be spotted from a long distance was erected on the Gate in 1793.
[ Source: http://www.berlin.de/orte/sehenswuerdigkeiten/brandenburger-tor/index.en.php ]
Address: Pariser Platz, 10117 Berlin
Tags: Berlin, Berlin-Mitte, Brandenburg Gate
Location of Brandenburg Gate
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Mitte is a central locality of Berlin in the homonymous district (Bezirk) of Mitte. Until 2001 it was itself an autonomous district. It is the seat of the berliner city hall (Rotes Rathaus) and of the main tourist attractions of the city.
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