It's probably impossible for most of us to tell at first glance and just from the first photo where I've been again. Even if one or two of you may have stood in exactly the same spot and let your gaze wander. But back then, there weren't any soap bubbles floating through your field of vision, giving the place a certain lightness that it didn't always have in the past.
But it doesn't matter if you don't know where we are right now. It happens to the best of us, and there's no shame in that. We won't beat around the bush any longer, but will present the answer to our question right away—we are standing directly under an arch of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin.
The Brandenburg Gate is probably the most famous landmark of the German capital and can be described as a gateway through history. One of Germany's most famous buildings rises up in the heart of Berlin and is not only an architectural masterpiece of classicism, but also a symbol of the country's eventful history – from Prussia to the division of Germany and reunification.
It was built between 1788 and 1791 on behalf of King Frederick William II. Architect Carl Gotthard Langhans drew inspiration from the Propylaea of the Acropolis in Athens—a deliberate reference to the ideals of antiquity.
The gate is crowned by the famous Quadriga, a chariot figure drawn by four horses and driven by Victoria, the goddess of victory. After Napoleon marched into the then Prussian capital, he had it brought to Paris in 1806 – as a symbol of his takeover of Prussia and the other German states. But in 1814, after the fall of the French ruler, it returned triumphantly to Berlin.
During the Cold War, the gate lay in no man's land behind the Berlin Wall – inaccessible and divided. But with the fall of the Wall in 1989, this changed and it became a symbol of German unity. Today, it stands for freedom, democracy, and cohesion.
Today, the Brandenburg Gate is a meeting place for people from all over the world. Whether it's New Year's Eve celebrations, state visits, or demonstrations, the Brandenburg Gate connects the past and the present and reminds us how changeable history can be.
The Brandenburg Gate is therefore more than just a building in the center of Berlin—it is a living monument that reminds us of Germany's eventful history. As you can clearly see when visiting the German capital - no one who visits Berlin can miss this gate....
