Brandenburger Tor, Triumphal arch in Mitte, Berlin, Germany
The Brandenburg Gate is a neoclassical triumphal arch of pale sandstone at the west side of Pariser Platz in Mitte. Twelve fluted Doric columns, six on each face, stand on square bases and form five passageways, the central one wider than the rest; the attic carries a relief of the Triumph of Peace on the east side and is topped by Johann Gottfried Schadow's copper quadriga, a four-horse chariot driven by a winged goddess. Lower L-shaped wings with the same Doric order flank it.
King Frederick William II commissioned the gate between 1788 and 1791 to mark the western boundary of the city's customs wall. After World War II, it stood for decades between East and West Berlin and was only reopened for free passage in 1989.
On New Year's Eve and during football celebrations, crowds gather in front of the gate and turn the square into a public stage for shared moments. Demonstrations and political rallies take place here regularly because the site plays a central role in the daily life of the capital.
The area around the gate remains accessible at all times and works well for early morning or late evening visits. The south wing houses a tourist information center that offers guidance on the city and surrounding areas.
The Quadriga on the roof was taken to Paris during the Napoleonic occupation and returned only in 1814. Afterward, the goddess Victoria received a Prussian eagle in her hand as an additional symbol.
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