BRANDENBURG GATE

 

Original photo: Unsplash.com

 

Brandenburg Gate (Brandenburger Tor) is Berlin's most famous monument (Berlines bekanntestes Denkmal) and a site for major historical events (historische Ereignisse). It was a symbol of Berlin and the divided Germany (geteiltes Deutschland) during the Cold War (Kalter Krieg). 

Following the fall of the Berlin Wall (der Mauerfall) and the reunification of Germany (die deutsche Wiedervereinigung) in November 1989 the Brandenburg Gate turned into a national symbol (nationales Symbol) of peace and unity (der Frieden und die Einheit). 

It was officially opened (geöffnet) to traffic (der Verkehr) on December 22, 1989 and 100,000 people came to celebrate (feiern) the occasion (das Ereignis). Unfortunately this also resulted in führte severe damage (der Schaden) to the monument which had to be restored (wiederhergestellt). The monument was officially reopened (wieder enthüllt) on October 3, 2002.

Original photo: Pexels.com

The Brandenburg Gate was built (wurde angebracht) between 1788 and 1791 according to the designs by Carl Gotthard Langhans. His conception (die Vorstellung) was inspired by the Propylaea in Athens' Acropolis. The Quadriga, a sculpture (eine Plastik) representing the Goddess of Victory (Siegesgöttin Victoria) can be spotted from a long distance (von weitem). 

From 1806 to 1814 the statue (die Statue) was held captive (hielt gefangen) in France as a Napoleonic trophy (die Trophäe). During WWII Brandenburg Gate was damaged (wurde beschädigt) but not destroyed by allied bombing (der Bombenangriff).

The Brandenburg Gate is located (befindet sich) in the Pariser Platz of Berlin-Mitte. The Room of Silence (Raum der Stille) is situated on the north wing (der Nordflügel) of the monument. The Academy of Arts (die Akademie der Künste) and the restored American embassy (Botschaft der USA) are just next to the Gate. The Platz des 18. März commemorates (erinnert an) the demonstrations (die Demonstrationen) during the 1848 revolutions for democracy (die Revolutionen von 1848/49). 



Sources:
https://www.berlin.de/sehenswuerdigkeiten/3560266-3558930-brandenburger-tor.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brandenburg_Gate