Traveller’s Tales – Famous Monuments Part II
Brandenburg Gate
The Brandenburg Gate stands proud and tall in the Pariser Platz in Berlin, Germany. In my travels around Europe I didn’t find any city, or any structure, quite so intimidating as the Brandenburg Gate in Germany. Berlin alone holds a certain amount of intimidation in the stark and structured buildings. I remember so many buildings being simple and grey and square; without a breath of indecision about them, they screamed power. It was hard to walk around the city and not feel the history absorbing me with every city block we took.
While walking the streets in Berlin it is hard to imagine a history pre-World War 2. However, the Brandenburg Gate opened in 1791; not as a political symbol, but rather to mark the end of a boulevard while at the same time representing peace. Yet, ironically the gate would endure a history entrenched with war and politics.
Standing in the courtyard and looking at the gate was a humbling experience, knowing the years of political strife the gate has seen, despite its original representation of peace. During WW2 the Nazi party hung their flags over the gate and used it as a symbol for the party, even marching through it when Hitler came into power. Post WW2 and after the Berlin Wall was built in the 60’s, the gate was closed to further isolate West Berlin from East Berlin. It remained closed for close to 30 years.