Brandenburger Tor | Berlin, Germany

[Matthieu]

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]

plaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat

[Kampflamm]

Huh?

[Kampflamm]

Anyway, nice building, symbolizes Germany's history unlike any other.

[Hardouin-Mansart]

Huh?
"platt" (Deutsch)
BTW I thought Germany had more than 200 years of history.

[Kampflamm]

Where did I say that it only has 200 years of history? It symbolizes German history more than any other building.

[Urban Girl]

i always liked this gate. it looks great some special days at night
i give 8,5

[Phobos]

7/10
Not a big fan of it

[Fabio]

8/10

quite nice

[DamienK]

8/10

[Wicky]

9/10, but almost 9,5/10.

[Arpels]

8/10

[Ellatur]

uber historic
9.5/10

[Raine]

8,5/10

[forvine]

8.5/10

[LuckyLuke]

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]

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]

10/10 from a Berliner! :D

[goschio]

Its so wunderschön I cant put it in words!


10/10

[Sinjin P.]

8.5/10 ;)

[Accura4Matalan]

8/10

[El_Greco]

8/10

[Mosaic]

9/10

[Tiaren]

Very famos gate...deserves 10/10

[Stiggen]

7,5/10

[LuckyLuke]

http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/7256/6442660al4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/3176/luftbild2003grlu5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[LordMarshall]

10/10

[Slartibartfas]

9 for its immense historical connection

[delmaule]

8.5/10

[gutooo]

9/10

[delmaule]

9/10

[erbsenzaehler]

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]

Can't see the pics!!!!!

[Lucas.]

well, it is a classic. 10/10

[W!CKED]

8/10

[marpa]

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]

8/10

[Kampflamm]

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]

9/10 ...geil

[billyandmandy]

10/10

[Kampflamm]

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]

9/10

[Kampflamm]

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]

10/10 for the symbol of my home city

[cphdude]

6/10

[incognito_rn]

9/10

[Svartmetall]

10 out of 10, my favourite gate/arch/type structure in Europe.

[Popiel]

9/10

[Da3won]

http://sechtl-vosecek.ucw.cz/cml/35mm/film35mm3233.jpg

Mmm how patriot's but I dont like it anyway ;)

[erbsenzaehler]

^ 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]

3 or less votes don't count anyway.

[Nikkodemo]

Very nice!!

9/10

[Chadoh25]

10/10

[Posener]

7,5/10

[l'eau]

9/10

[Fred_]

08

[stasiua]

It's the icon!

10/10