Berlin's Brandenburg Gate

The Brandenburg Gate, also called the heart of Berlin is one of Berlin's most famous monuments.
The Brandenburg Gate is a monumental gate built in the 18th century as a symbol of peace. During the Cold War, when the gate stood right on the border between East and West, it became a symbol of a divided city.
The magnificent monument was designed by Carl Gotthard and commissioned by the Emperor Wilhelm II. The project of the 65 meters wide and 28 meters high gate is inspired by the Propylaea, the gateway to the Acropolis in Athens. The Brandenburg Gate was built between 1778 and 1781, replacing another ancient gate. The decorations include reliefs representing scenes from the Greek mythology and it took another four years to be fully completed.
The Brandenburg Gate, which until the Second World War had all the time to become a symbol of Prussian militarism, was badly damaged during the war. After the war and after the division of Berlin, the Brandenburg Gate was found right on the border between East and West Berlin, exactly in the Russian sector. In 1958 the gate was restored by the East Berlin while West Berlin funded the reconstruction of the Victoria statue.
The Brandenburg Gate is certainly the most important modern European symbol of peace, the triumphant goddess' entry into the city signifying the end of all conflicts. It is at the same time a symbol of division and reunification , a monument under which marched the Nazi torch-bearers who dragged Germany into the darkest period of history , but they overcame it , weeping for joy , people separated by arbitrary decisions for more than 50 years.
Today, the Brandenburg Gate is no longer considered a symbol of division, but a symbol of a completely new era in the history of the extraordinary city. It is definitely one of the best known symbols of the city. The "Brandenburg Tor" design was inspired by the Acropolis located in Athens. At the top of the gate there is a statue depicting the famous Victoria, the goddess of Triumph, who is driving a chariot pulled by four horses. It was sculpted by Gottfried Schadow. In 1806 the sculpture was taken to Paris by Napoleon's troops as a trophy of war. It was brought back to Germany when the French lost the fight against them.Less