Brandenburg Gate, Berlin, Germany Postcard

"Brandenburg Gate, Berlin, Germany" by Catherine Sherman The Brandenburg Gate stands prominently with its iconic neoclassical architecture and a four-horse chariot sculpture, called a Quadriga, on top in Berlin, Germany. Several large fluted Doric columns support the structure, creating an imposing and grandiose presence. The central portion of the gate draws from the tradition of the Roman triumphal arch. One of the best-known landmarks of Germany, it was erected on the site of a former city gate that marked the start of the road from Berlin to Brandenburg an der Havel, the former capital of the Margraviate of Brandenburg. The current structure was built from 1788 to 1791 by orders of King Frederick William II of Prussia. Throughout its existence, the Brandenburg Gate was often a site for major historical events. During the Cold War, the gateway was obstructed by the Berlin Wall, until its fall in 1989, and was for almost three decades a marker of the city's division. Since German reunification in 1990, it has been considered not only a symbol of the tumultuous histories of Germany and Europe, but also of European unity and peace.