It all started in the 1730s, when the Berlin Customs Wall was built with 18 gates (see map), to facilitate the levying of taxes on the import and export of goods (called “tariffs”), which served as the primary income of many cities at the time. The purpose of the gate has often been transformed, so let's see what it originally was and how it developed. In 1989, the Brandenburg Gate was chosen as the setting for the reunification ceremony after the fall of the Berlin Wall, and thus saw its original role as gate of the city finally restored.Īlthough very photogenic, especially to serve as a souvenir of Berlin, the purpose of the gate dates back to more than a century before there were any photographic cameras. Other important historical events witnessed by the gate were the partial destruction of Berlin by Allied bombings during the Second World War and the political division of the city during a considerable period of time during the 20th century – when the area around the gate became a sort of no man's land.

The statue that crowns the top of the gate – called a “quadriga” for its depiction of a chariot and horses - was carried to France as a trophy of the feat. This monumental gate of has seen such events as the Napoleon parade under its arches upon his invasion of the city. It is also very close to another famous monument, the Reichstag. The gate is specifically located in the western area of the center, at the junction between Unter den Linden Avenue and Ebertstraße. The main monument of most postcards and souvenirs, the Brandenburg Gate has witnessed the most important historical events in the history of Berlin, thanks to its privileged position on Pariser Platz, in the heart of the city.

The Berlin Brandenburg Gate (Brandenburger Tor in German) is undoubtedly the symbol par excellence of the German capital.

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