The Brandenburg Gate

The Brandenburg Gate is Berlin’s most famous landmark and stands on Pariser Platz, where the city once ended. During the division of Germany, the gate was located on the eastern side, directly at the Berlin Wall—in the so-called no man’s land. It became a symbol of the division between East and West. From the western side, one could only see the painted and graffiti-covered concrete wall that enclosed the gate. When the border fell on November 9, 1989, thousands of people flocked here, climbed the Wall, and celebrated the end of the division. These images were seen around the world and made the gate a symbol of reunification. Today, the Brandenburg Gate is a central venue for celebrations, protests, and major moments in the city’s history. Here, people cheered during the fall of the Wall, the World Cup victory, and New Year’s Eve celebrations. The gate stands for transformation: from a Prussian symbol of power to a historical memorial and finally to a symbol of openness and peace. Pariser Platz is considered one of the city’s most prestigious addresses. In addition to embassies and banks, it is home to the Academy of Arts and the famous Hotel Adlon. So to this day the Brandenburg Gate remains a place where Berlin’s past, present, and future converge.

1 - KING FREDERICK WILLIAM II of Prussia had the Brandenburg Gate built between 1788 and 1791. It was intended to symbolize peace and was modeled after the Propylaea of the Acropolis. Thereby the king sought to compare himself to the ancient Athenian statesman Pericles and usher in a golden age for Prussia.

2 - In 1806, NAPOLEON had the Quadriga removed from the Brandenburg Gate and taken to Paris as a trophy of war. In 1814, it returned to Berlin as a symbol of liberation and Prussia’s will to victory.

3 - The Quadriga atop the Brandenburg Gate depicts Victoria, the goddess of victory, in a chariot drawn by four horses. She faces east—once a sign of triumph over an enemy, later a symbol of freedom.

4 - Opened in 1907, the HOTEL ADLON is located in the immediate vicinity of the Brandenburg Gate and is considered one of Europe’s most famous luxury hotels. Charlie Chaplin, the Dalai Lama, and Michael Jackson have all stayed here.

5 - On June 26, 1963, the 15th anniversary of the Berlin Airlift, U.S. President JOHN F. KENNEDY spoke in West Berlin and declared: “Ich bin ein Berliner!” The GDR had the Brandenburg Gate draped with huge red sheets and a GDR flag to block the U.S. president’s view of East Berlin during his three-day visit.

6 - In 1987, David Bowie, Genesis, and the Eurythmics performed a CONCERT IN WEST BERLIN in front of the Reichstag. From the East, thousands of young people listened from behind the Wall. The so-called security forces of the GDR cracked down brutally on them.

7 - On June 12, 1987, U.S. President RONALD REAGAN declared at the Brandenburg Gate: “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!” The speech fueled hopes for German reunification and is considered one of the key moments of the Cold War.

8 - Since 1990, the BERLIN MARATHON has traditionally passed through the Brandenburg Gate shortly before the finish line each year. For many runners, passing through this landmark is the highlight of the event.

9 - The HAUS LIEBERMANN is located on Pariser Platz, next to the Brandenburg Gate. It is named after the German-Jewish painter Max Liebermann, who lived here, and was rebuilt based on the original design.

Did you know …
… that the Brandenburg Gate is the only one of the 18 city gates of Berlin’s excise wall to have survived to this day? All the other gates were demolished in the 19th century to allow for the city’s growth.