Brandenburg Gate Facts for Kids

The Brandenburg Gate (German: Brandenburger Tor) is a famous landmark in Berlin, Germany. It's like a grand entrance, and it's the only old city gate of Berlin that is still standing today. It was built a long time ago, between 1788 and 1791. You can find it between two important squares, the Platz des 18. März and the Pariser Platz. Close by, to the north, is the Reichstag building, which is where the German parliament meets.

The Brandenburg Gate has twelve tall columns, with six on the front and six on the back. These columns create five pathways. Long ago, regular people were only allowed to use the two outer pathways. This is similar to how Admiralty Arch in London works, where the middle path is kept clear for important people. On top of the gate, there's a beautiful statue called the Quadriga. It shows Viktoria, the goddess of victory, riding a chariot pulled by four horses.

A Journey Through Time: The Gate's Story
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A Journey Through Time: The Gate's Story

Napoleon and the Quadriga

In 1806, after a big battle, the French leader Napoleon took the Quadriga from the gate and moved it to Paris. But when Napoleon was defeated in 1814, a Prussian general brought the Quadriga back to Berlin. When it returned, the olive wreath held by Viktoria was changed to an Iron Cross, a symbol of military honor. The goddess Viktoria then became known as Nike, the goddess of victory.

The Gate During World War II and the Cold War

Later, when the Nazis were in power, they used the Brandenburg Gate as an important symbol for their ideas. The gate was damaged during World War II but luckily it was not completely destroyed. After the war, the governments of East Berlin and West Berlin worked together to fix it.

However, in 1961, the Berlin Wall was built, dividing the city. The Brandenburg Gate ended up right in the middle of a heavily guarded area, a "death strip," and was closed off. It became a powerful symbol of the divided city.

Famous Speeches and Reopening

In 1963, U.S. President John F. Kennedy visited the Brandenburg Gate. The Soviets, who controlled East Berlin, put up large banners to stop him from seeing into the East. Later, in the 1980s, the mayor of West Berlin, Richard von Weizsäcker, said that Germany would not be truly united until the Brandenburg Gate was open again.

In 1987, another U.S. President, Ronald Reagan, gave a very famous speech right outside the gate. He called for the Berlin Wall to be torn down, saying, "Tear down this wall!"

Just a few years later, on December 22, 1989, the Brandenburg Gate finally reopened! This was a huge moment for the reunification of Germany. The West German Chancellor, Helmut Kohl, walked through the gate and was met by the East German Prime Minister, Hans Modrow. The gate then became a symbol of freedom and a united Berlin.

In 2000, the Brandenburg Gate was carefully cleaned and repaired, making sure it stays beautiful for many years to come.

Images for kids

The original Brandenburg Gate in a 1764 engraving, 30 years before its neoclassical reconstruction.
The Berlin Customs Wall with its eighteen gates
Quadriga on the Brandenburg Gate at night
The environs of the Brandenburg Gate in 1889, by Christian Wilhelm Allers.
View over Pariser Platz, June 1945
Bernard Montgomery and Soviet marshals Georgy Zhukov and Konstantin Rokossovsky leave the Brandenburg Gate on 12 July 1945 after being decorated by Montgomery.
The Brandenburg Gate as seen from Unter den Linden in East Berlin in July 1981.
A crane removes a section of the Berlin Wall near the Brandenburg Gate on 21 December 1989.
The Gate on a 2014 morning
The Gate at midnight in 2014
Napoleon passing through the Brandenburg Gate after the Battle of Jena-Auerstedt (1806). Painted by Charles Meynier in 1810.
The Gate in 1928
The Gate in the 1930s
In 1984, East Berliners and others were kept away from the Gate, which they could view only from this distance.
The Berlin Wall in front of the Brandenburg Gate, shortly before its fall in 1989
Gate with Pariser Platz
The Brandenburg Gate as seen from the rooftop terrace of the Reichstag building, with the United States Embassy in the background
The quadriga with skyscrapers of Potsdamer Platz
Dark silhouette impression at sunset, 2010
The Gate lit up with the colors of the French Flag, after the November 2015 Paris attacks
The Gate illuminated with the colors of Belgian flag, after the 2016 Brussels bombings
The quadriga at night