The Brandenburg Gate

A postcard from c.1920 shows the Brandenburg Gate on the right and a still intact Bundestag on the left complete with its original dome.

The bronze Quadriga, the four horse-drawn chariot sitting atop the gate has a colourful history itself, the original was stolen by no less a figure than Napoleon and taken to Paris, it was later returned only to be almost completely destroyed during the Battle of Berlin at the end of WWII, of which now only one original horse’s head remains.

The German celebrations of reunification in 1990, marking an end to the Cold War also proved rather unkind to the figure of Victoria and her equestrian companions, as revellers tore off pieces of the magnificent metal statue as souvenirs of the historic event.

This whole structure has become a symbol of freedom and unity the world over, of which the citizens of Berlin, the Berliners, are rightly very proud.





© Andrew James Kirkwood – 2024


Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

By continuing to use the site, you agree to the use of cookies. MORE INFORMATION

The cookie settings on this website are set to "allow cookies" to give you the best browsing experience possible. If you continue to use this website without changing your cookie settings or you click "Accept" below then you are consenting to this.

Read privacy policy

CLOSE