Attractions in Brandenburg Gate in Berlin

Out of the many attractions and sights around Berlin, one of the major destinations that never fail to find its way on top of traveler's lists is the Brandenburg Gate. The Brandenburg Gate is a huge arc located at the center of the city. Aside from its impressive architecture, what really makes this landmark so unique and so special among Berliners is the symbol that it stands for. Before the fall of the Berlin Wall, the Gate was a looming figure of a divided nation. But at the end of the Cold War, the gates were opened and have now become a symbol of peace and unity.

Berlin Quadriga

At the top of the Brandenburg Gate is one of the most famous quadriga in the world, known simply as the Berlin Quadriga. The Quadriga is a sculpture of a chariot drawn by fours horses designed by artist, Johann Gottfried Schadow. The sculpture was built in 1793 to symbolize peace. The statue itself was witness to the much turmoil in the city. It was taken away by Napoleon in 1806 and was brought back into the city by a field marchall in 1814. Aside from that, the sculpture was severely damaged during the Second World War. But today, the Iron Cross that is carried by the statue is now a symbol of unity and peace.

Berlin Wall

The Brandenburg Gate is also connected to the equally famous Berlin Wall. The wall was similarly a figure of the separation of East and West Germany and its fall was one of the most symbolic events unifying the whole of the country. Today, the Berlin Wall is no longer a reminder of tyranny and division but is one painted with symbolic art depicting freedom and unity. The bricks of the wall itself are now being sent to other countries, by a project called Journey of the wall, which are meant so give hope to nations that are plagued with internal conflict and civil wars as old Germany was.

Reichstag Building

At the northern side of the gate is the Reichstag building. This building houses the Parliament of the German Empire. It was built in 1933, was severely damaged during the World War II and was finally fully restored and rebuilt during the 1990's. The restoration of the building was headed by one of the world's most renowned architects, Norman Foster. After its restoration, the building became again the house of the new German Parliament. The building is very famous for its large glass dome which gives visitors a full 360 degree view of the Berlin cityscape. This gives the parliament room natural lighting and was designed with large electronically controlled sun shield tracks to control shade and lighting. The dome is usually open to tourists at any time of the year.

Film Museum of Berlin

Within a mile of the Brandenburg Gate is the Film Museum of Berlin, an equally popular tourist attraction, especially for those who love film and movies. The museum is an exhibition which showcases the history of film and movies in Germany including the film industry under the rule of the Nazis. Aside from that, the museum also shows the evolution of German film industry, before and after the fall of the Berlin wall.

The Parkland

Aside from that, within walking distance from the gates is also Berlin's largest open space park. The parkland was a former hunting ground of the Prussian royals which was later on converted into a landscaped park in 1818. Before the war, this was where most of the embassies were concentrated and was also a place for wonderful statues and architectures. Today, the park is most well known for its annual Love Parades.

Arkden

Not far from the Brandenburg Gate is a shopper's haven called the Arkden, one of the most popular shopping centers in Berlin. The complex includes both international high end brands to local names to suit any shopper's fancy. It is also home to a number of restaurants and cafes that any tourist will surely love spending the day in.

And finally, to cater to traveler's accommodations, there are also plenty of accessible  Berlin apartments in the area for all sorts of visitors- from the luxury vacationers to budget travelers. These establishments will be more that willing to house you for the duration of your stay. Most of these apartments are located within the each of the Brandenburg gate and all the other popular tourist destination spots in the city. So what else are you waiting for? On your next travel to Berlin, get a real taste of city life and history by visiting the Brandenburg Gate.

To get more information about Berlin, visit our Berlin city guide, there you also will find articles such as: Berlin Airport