Brandenburg Gate

The Brandenburg Gate, known as the Brandenburger Tor in German, is a landmark gate in Berlin, Germany. It was commissioned by Friedrick Wilhelm II as a sign of peace and built by Karl Gotthard Langhans from 1788 to 1791. Design of the gate was based on the gate to the Parthenon, the Propylea, on the Acropolis in Athens, Greece. This made it the first classical building in Berlin.

Design of the Brandenburg Gate consists of twelve Doric columns, six on each side. This allows for five roadways, although originally, ordinary citizens were only allowed to use the outer two. Above the gate is the Quadriga, consisting of the goddess of peace, Eirene, driving a four horse chariot in triumph.

While the main design of the Brandenburg Gate has remained the same since it was completed, the gate has played varying roles in Germany's history. First, Napolean took the Quadriga back to Paris, France in 1806 after conquering Berlin. It returned to Berlin in 1814. The statue then became the goddess of victory, Victoria. When the Nazis rose to power, they used the gate to symbolize their power. After World War II, the gate was restored by the East and West Berlin Governments. However, in 1961, the gate was closed off as part of the Berlin Wall. Finally, when the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, the gate symbolized freedom and the unity of the city.