Brandenburg Gate
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The Brandenburg Gate rises up at the westerly end of the
Pariser Platz and can be seen for miles around. It was once the symbol of divided Germany
but also became the symbol of German reunification in November 1989.
The Gate was erected
by the architect Carl Gotthard Langhans out of sandstone in 1788-91. It is based on the
magnificent entrance area of the Acropolis in Athens. At the same time, however,
Langhans assimilated a typical feature of the Roman Empire - the Quadriga, a victory chariot
pulled by four horses.
The Brandenburg Gate
served originally as a City Gate whilst at the same
time serving as a splendid conclusion to the Boulevard Unter den Linden. It was opened to
traffic on the 6th August 1791. |
The 5 metre high Quadriga with Victoria the Godess of Victory
was constructed by Johann Gottfried Schadow. It could only be erected in 1795, however,
because of an argument over the figure. In order to remain true to the classical tradition,
Victoria should have driven the chariot naked. However, she had to look in the direction of
Berlin Castle and you can imagine, therefore, the view which would greet visitors approaching
Berlin from a westerly direction - a naked bottom. Kaiser Frederick William II therefore
arranged for Victoria to be covered with a robe.
Both the Gate and the Quadriga have had an
eventful history. On the 27th October 1806 the Emperor Napoleon entered through the
Brandenburg Gate and occupied the Prussian capital. In accordance with the rights of a
victor, he had the Quadriga dismantled and packed it away in 12 boxes which he then transported
to Paris. In consequence of Napoleon’s eventual defeat, the Quadriga was transported back to
Berlin in 1814. In memory of the struggle against Napoleon’s troops Victoria was decorated
with an Iron Cross, a laurel wreath and the Prussian Eagle.
In 1945 the Brandenburg Gate
was badly damaged and the Quadriga lay in ruins. In the western part of the city were only
the 5000 unnumbered parts of a plaster cast which had been prepared in 1942 These were used to
reconstruct the Quadriga in 1957. It was the only joint reconstruction project carried out by
the two opposing power blocks. The East German leader, however, required the Prussian Eagle
and Iron Cross be left off and therefore, during the Cold War period Victoria instead held a
staff with an oak leaf crown in her hand. Only with its reconstruction after German
reunification in 1991 did the Prussian Eagle and Iron Cross reappear.
Controversy has
raged since reunification over the question as to whether vehicular traffic should once
again be allowed to pass through the Gate. In the meantime only pedestrians and cyclists
are allowed to pass through the 20m high, 65m wide and 11 metre deep monument. After
comprehensive restoration Berlin’s most famous landmark was again revealed on the 3rd
October 2002. The event was marked with great festivities. |
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