Elephant Gate, Architectural sculpture at Berlin Zoological Garden, Germany
The Elephant Gate features two life-size sandstone elephant sculptures supporting a pagoda roof adorned with gold ornaments and green glazed ceramic tiles. It functions as a primary entrance to the Zoological Garden.
The gate was designed in 1899 by architects Karl Zaar and Rudolf Vahl as a grand entrance for the zoo. It was destroyed during World War II and then completely reconstructed between 1983 and 1984.
The gate combines East Asian architectural elements with German craftsmanship, showing how late 19th-century Berlin embraced international design influences. It signals the exotic nature of what lies beyond the entrance.
The gate is located on Budapester Strasse in the Berlin-Mitte district and provides direct access to the Zoological Garden. It serves as a clear landmark and orientation point at the main entrance.
The reconstruction drew on historical photographs and sourced specific sandstone from Saxon Switzerland to match the original materials. This approach preserved the craftsmanship that defined the structure decades after its destruction.
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