View Full Version : Brandenburger Tor | Berlin, Germany
Matthieu
December 11th, 2004, 11:50 AM
The Brandenburg Gate (German: Brandenburger Tor) is a triumphal arch, the symbol of Berlin, Germany. Located on the Pariser Platz, it is the only remaining one of the series of gates through which one entered Berlin. It constitutes the monumental termination of Unter den Linden, the renowned boulevard of linden trees which led directly to the royal residence. It was commissioned by Friedrich Wilhelm II as a sign of peace and built by Karl Gotthard Langhans from 1788 to 1791.
Brandenburg Gate consists of twelve Greek 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, driving a four-horse chariot in triumph.
Design of the gate was based on the Propylea, the gateway to the Acropolis in Athens, Greece. In a city with a long tradition of classicism, a classicist Baroque followed by neo-Palladian architecture, this was the first Greek revival neo-classical construction in Berlin, which would become the Spreeathen ("Athens on the River Spree') by the 1830s, shaped by the severe neoclassicism of architect Karl Friedrich Schinkel.
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, Napoleon took the Quadriga back to Paris in 1806 after conquering Berlin. When it returned to Berlin in 1814, the statue exchanged her olive wreath for the Iron Cross and became the goddess of victory. When the Nazis rose to power, they used the gate to symbolize their power. The only structure left standing in the ruins of Pariser Platz in 1945, apart from the ruined Academy of Fine Arts, the gate was restored by the East Berlin and West Berlin Governments. However, in 1961, the gate was closed off as part of the Berlin Wall. "The German issue will remain open as long as the Brandenburg Gate is closed" was how the Mayor of West Berlin, Richard von Weizsäcker, described the situation in the early 1980s.
Finally, when the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, the gate symbolized freedom and the unity of the city, re-opening on 22 December when the West German Chancellor Helmut Kohl walked through to be greeted by the East German Prime Minister, Hans Modrow.
http://www.buergerzubuerger.de/GRAFIK/Brandenburger%20Tor.jpg
http://www.gist.edu.sg/Images/fotos/Brandenburger%20Tor.jpg
http://vision.berlin.estiem.org/brandenburger-tor-2-7-1995-mit-blitz-k.jpg
Hardouin-Mansart
December 11th, 2004, 05:32 PM
plaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat
Kampflamm
December 11th, 2004, 06:07 PM
Huh?
Kampflamm
December 11th, 2004, 06:08 PM
Anyway, nice building, symbolizes Germany's history unlike any other.
Hardouin-Mansart
December 11th, 2004, 06:19 PM
Huh?
"platt" (Deutsch)
BTW I thought Germany had more than 200 years of history.
Kampflamm
December 11th, 2004, 06:43 PM
Where did I say that it only has 200 years of history? It symbolizes German history more than any other building.
Urban Girl
December 12th, 2004, 03:49 PM
i always liked this gate. it looks great some special days at night
i give 8,5
Phobos
December 12th, 2004, 09:43 PM
7/10
Not a big fan of it
Fabio
January 24th, 2005, 09:42 PM
8/10
quite nice
DamienK
January 25th, 2005, 10:48 AM
8/10
Wicky
January 28th, 2005, 11:25 PM
9/10, but almost 9,5/10.
Arpels
January 28th, 2005, 11:26 PM
8/10
Ellatur
January 31st, 2005, 03:22 AM
uber historic
9.5/10
Raine
January 31st, 2005, 04:14 PM
8,5/10
forvine
December 14th, 2005, 05:07 PM
8.5/10
LuckyLuke
December 14th, 2005, 08:14 PM
It's time for some new photos!
http://img328.imageshack.us/img328/7813/43033322ux.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img328.imageshack.us/img328/8023/43118876wt.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
deltaomicron
December 14th, 2005, 08:19 PM
8.0 - They did a terrific job of restoration; it's absolutely beautiful and Berlin wouldn't be Berlin without it. Still, I almost prefer it the way it was a few years ago - it's a little fake looking now with the plaster over top. I took off marks because Pariser Platz is kind of dull.
beta29
December 14th, 2005, 08:56 PM
10/10 from a Berliner! :D
goschio
December 15th, 2005, 07:06 AM
Its so wunderschön I cant put it in words!
10/10
Sinjin P.
December 23rd, 2005, 02:00 PM
8.5/10 ;)
Accura4Matalan
December 23rd, 2005, 02:49 PM
8/10
El_Greco
April 19th, 2006, 10:36 PM
8/10
Mosaic
April 26th, 2006, 10:31 AM
9/10
Tiaren
April 26th, 2006, 04:59 PM
Very famos gate...deserves 10/10
Stiggen
July 17th, 2006, 03:01 PM
7,5/10
LuckyLuke
August 23rd, 2006, 01:21 AM
http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/7256/6442660al4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/3176/luftbild2003grlu5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
LordMarshall
August 29th, 2006, 12:55 AM
10/10
Slartibartfas
September 2nd, 2006, 02:22 PM
9 for its immense historical connection
delmaule
September 5th, 2006, 02:28 AM
8.5/10
gutooo
September 15th, 2006, 02:13 AM
9/10
delmaule
October 1st, 2006, 04:12 AM
9/10
erbsenzaehler
November 8th, 2006, 11:10 PM
10/10
Not really because it's absolutely amazing or something, but it's just THE SYMBOL of Germany.
No other building can tell our history better I think... And I love it for its mighty charme :naughty:
Kelsen
December 9th, 2006, 12:30 AM
Can't see the pics!!!!!
Lucas.
April 1st, 2007, 08:28 PM
well, it is a classic. 10/10
W!CKED
April 18th, 2007, 12:05 AM
8/10
marpa
June 14th, 2007, 04:14 PM
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a7/Brandenburger-Tor-1735-Daniel-Chodowiecki-1764.jpg/800px-Brandenburger-Tor-1735-Daniel-Chodowiecki-1764.jpg
Brandenburger Tor (1764), Blick nach Westen auf den Tiergarten
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/49/Brandenburger_tor_1871.jpg/800px-Brandenburger_tor_1871.jpg
The Brandenburg Gate in 1871
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a9/Brandenburg_gate_sunset.jpg/800px-Brandenburg_gate_sunset.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/57/Brandenburg_gate_sunset_quadriga.jpg/800px-Brandenburg_gate_sunset_quadriga.jpg
The Quadriga atop the Brandenbrug Gate
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ef/Brandenburg_Gate_Quadriga_at_Night.jpg/800px-Brandenburg_Gate_Quadriga_at_Night.jpg
Quadriga bei Nacht
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/00/Quadriga.jpg
Quadriga auf dem Brandenburger Tor
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fd/Brandenburgertor_SN.jpg/703px-Brandenburgertor_SN.jpg
9/10
Dreamlıneя
June 17th, 2007, 12:40 AM
8/10
Kampflamm
June 17th, 2007, 01:29 AM
1945
http://www.wargamer.com/ww2timeline/Photographs/Eastern_Europe_1945.JPG
http://www.dhm.de/magazine/fotografen/chaldej/gross/abb16.jpg
1961
http://www.uzh.at/_Jesus_lieben/Berlin/Mauerbau_1216.JPG
1970
http://www.s-line.de/homepages/horber-privat/bilder/berlin/berlin2.jpg
1982
http://charles.robinsontwins.org/photogal/pretty/brandenburg_gate_berlin.jpg
1989
http://charles.pelkey.com/Brandenburg.jpg
http://www.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/kgi/projekte/transit/images/photo.jpg
Today
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f3/Berlin_Brandenburger-Tor_0141_a.jpg/800px-Berlin_Brandenburger-Tor_0141_a.jpg
ØlandDK
June 24th, 2007, 11:13 PM
9/10 ...geil
billyandmandy
June 29th, 2007, 12:22 PM
10/10
Kampflamm
November 12th, 2007, 02:15 AM
Bümp.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/12/2005-10-26_Brandenburger-Tor.JPG/800px-2005-10-26_Brandenburger-Tor.JPG
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/49/Brandenburger_tor_1871.jpg/800px-Brandenburger_tor_1871.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/41/Adlon-im-bau.jpg
http://sechtl-vosecek.ucw.cz/cml/35mm/film35mm3233.jpg
LMCA1990
November 12th, 2007, 03:21 AM
9/10
Kampflamm
December 28th, 2007, 03:49 PM
1945
http://www.wargamer.com/ww2timeline/Photographs/Eastern_Europe_1945.JPG
http://www.dhm.de/magazine/fotografen/chaldej/gross/abb16.jpg
1961
http://www.uzh.at/_Jesus_lieben/Berlin/Mauerbau_1216.JPG
1970
http://www.s-line.de/homepages/horber-privat/bilder/berlin/berlin2.jpg
1982
http://charles.robinsontwins.org/photogal/pretty/brandenburg_gate_berlin.jpg
1989
http://charles.pelkey.com/Brandenburg.jpg
http://www.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/kgi/projekte/transit/images/photo.jpg
Today
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f3/Berlin_Brandenburger-Tor_0141_a.jpg/800px-Berlin_Brandenburger-Tor_0141_a.jpg
Some more historic images.
Speer's design for the Brandenburg Gate:
http://kunst.gymszbad.de/nationalsozialismus/architektur/speer/germania/brandenburger_tor-01.png
Celebrating "Sedantag" (victory over French forces at Sedan in 1870)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9a/SedanBrandenburgerTor.jpg
1989
http://www.retro-housewife.com/images/newspapers/1980/11-10-1989-brandenburger-tor.jpg
fettekatz
December 28th, 2007, 04:36 PM
10/10 for the symbol of my home city
cphdude
January 23rd, 2008, 10:25 PM
6/10
incognito_rn
January 24th, 2008, 08:40 AM
9/10
Svartmetall
January 27th, 2008, 09:31 AM
10 out of 10, my favourite gate/arch/type structure in Europe.
Popiel
January 29th, 2008, 03:47 PM
9/10
Da3won
January 30th, 2008, 11:07 PM
http://sechtl-vosecek.ucw.cz/cml/35mm/film35mm3233.jpg
Mmm how patriot's but I dont like it anyway ;)
erbsenzaehler
January 31st, 2008, 06:25 PM
^ Only an Ignorant as you (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?p=18080083#post18080083) Da3won could give less than 3 to one of the most superior European city gates. ;)
Go back to your cave and spam elsewhere, troll.
Kampflamm
January 31st, 2008, 06:32 PM
3 or less votes don't count anyway.
Nikkodemo
July 6th, 2008, 07:51 AM
Very nice!!
9/10
Chadoh25
November 7th, 2008, 09:23 AM
10/10
Posener
November 8th, 2008, 12:24 PM
7,5/10
l'eau
November 10th, 2008, 09:59 PM
9/10
Fred_
December 12th, 2008, 09:25 PM
08
stasiua
December 30th, 2008, 05:08 AM
It's the icon!
10/10
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