Attraction
Reichstag Building
The seat of the German Bundestag, completed in 1894 and rebuilt by Norman Foster, whose glass dome and roof terrace can be visited free with advance…
Brandenburg Gate
Berlin's best-known landmark, a neoclassical gate completed in 1791 and crowned by the Quadriga, which stood beside the Wall until it reopened in December 1989.
At a glance
- Type
- Neoclassical monument
- Area
- Mitte, Berlin, Germany
Good to know
- Free
- Open at all times
- Step-free square
- Pedestrian zone
Why we recommend it
The Brandenburg Gate is the symbol of Berlin and of German reunification, and almost every first visit to the city passes through it. Carl Gotthard Langhans designed the gate in a neoclassical style, and it was built between 1788 and 1791 at the western end of Unter den Linden, the grand avenue that once led to the royal palace. Johann Gottfried Schadow created the Quadriga on top, a bronze chariot pulled by four horses.
The sculpture has its own history. Napoleon took the Quadriga to Paris in 1806, and it returned to Berlin in 1814, when Karl Friedrich Schinkel redesigned it with an Iron Cross. After heavy war damage, a replacement was made in 1957 from a plaster cast. From August 1961 the Berlin Wall ran just west of the gate, and for 28 years the passage was closed. It reopened on 22 December 1989, when Chancellor Helmut Kohl walked through, and the images of people celebrating on the Wall here became some of the best known of that year.
Today the gate stands at the western end of Pariser Platz, a pedestrian square framed by embassies, banks, academies and the Hotel Adlon. Walk through the central passages from the square towards the Tiergarten side and you cross the line of the former border. Look for the row of cobblestones set into the road nearby, which marks the course of the Wall across the city. The gate is lit at night, and it is worth seeing both in daylight and after dark.
The gate suits every kind of visitor and costs nothing, and the paved square is step-free. Early morning is the quietest time for photographs; by late morning tour groups and street performers fill the square. Major events, including the New Year's Eve party and big public screenings, take place on the Strasse des 17. Juni on the western side, when access can be restricted.
The S-Bahn and U-Bahn station Brandenburger Tor is directly beside Pariser Platz. Several of Berlin's main sights are within a short walk: the Reichstag Building is a few minutes to the north, the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe lies one block south, and the Tiergarten park opens up to the west. Walking east along Unter den Linden brings you to Bebelplatz, the Humboldt Forum and Museum Island in about twenty minutes.
Brandenburg Gate FAQs
Is it free to visit the Brandenburg Gate?
Yes. The gate stands in a public square and can be visited free of charge at any time.
When was the Brandenburg Gate built?
It was built between 1788 and 1791 to a design by Carl Gotthard Langhans.
What is on top of the gate?
The Quadriga, a chariot drawn by four horses, created by Johann Gottfried Schadow.
Was the gate part of the Berlin Wall?
The Wall ran along its western side from 1961, closing the passage until the gate reopened on 22 December 1989.
What is the nearest station?
Brandenburger Tor station, served by the S-Bahn and the U5, is right beside Pariser Platz.
When is the best time for photographs?
Early morning is quietest, and the gate is lit after dark.
How long should you allow?
Around 20 to 30 minutes, or longer if you combine it with the Reichstag and the Holocaust memorial nearby.
What is nearby?
The Reichstag Building, the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, the Tiergarten and Unter den Linden.