Brandenburg Gate

The Brandenburg Gate, one of Berlin‘s most important landmarks and one of the best sights in Germany. As a symbol of the unity of Germany, the only surviving city gate in Berlin is of supraregional significance. Here you can get information as well as tickets and tours to the Brandenburg Gate.

Brandenburg Gate

The Brandenburg Gate is located on Pariser Platz, one of the most beautiful squares in Berlin. Not far from the gate is the splendid street Unter den Linden. It leads directly to the square, which is surrounded by numerous buildings worth seeing, such as the Hotel Adlon Kempinski, the University of the Arts and the US Embassy, ​​as well as cafes.

The sandstone gate is 20.30 meters high and was designed according to plans by Carl Gotthard Langhans. With the six Doric columns on each side and the eleven meters deep crossbeams, it is modeled on the gateways (Propylaea) of the Athens Acropolis. With the quadriga with its tip, the gate even reaches a height of about 26 meters. The gate is 62.5 wide and 11 meters deep. Each column is 13.5 meters high.

Originally the gate was called the Peace Gate. The gate, which was built between 1788 and 1791, was commissioned by the Prussian King Friedrich Wilhelm II. He replaced the previous gate with this representative triumphal gate and thus shaped the cityscape.

Quadriga on the Brandenburg Gate

The Quadriga was set in 1793. It was designed by Johann Gottfried Schadow and depicts the goddess of victory Victoria in a chariot. The two-wheeled chariot is pulled by four horses running side by side. The Quadriga was supposed to symbolize the coming peace into the city – which also led to the original name.

After the defeat of Prussia in 1806, Napoleon brought the Quadriga to Paris as a sign of his triumph. In 1814, after the victory over the French emperor, it returned to its traditional place in Berlin.

Brandenburg Gate: symbol for the unity of Germany

Today the gate stands as a symbol of the division and later unity of Germany. Because with the construction of the Berlin Wall in August 1961, the gate was in the restricted area (on the east side) and could not be visited or passed through by either East or West citizens. On December 22nd, 1989, the gate opened to the cheers of more than 100,000 people. With the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, the Brandenburg Gate became a symbol of reunification.

Visitor numbers

The Brandenburg Gate is estimated to have more than 3 million visitors every year. The viewing platform alone, 40 meters above ground level, has an average of 8,000 visitors a day.

Opening hours

The gate is open to the public at all times. There are no fixed opening times.

Address

Pariser Platz, 10117  Berlin

Tours and tickets

Immerse yourself in the history of Berlin on a unique tour. Use one of the following offers to find out more about the gate.