Brandenburg Gate, (Berlin, Germany); 1788 - 91; NeoClassicism

Brandenburg Gate



Front View of Brandenburg Gate


The Brandenburg Gate is a neoclassical monument located in Berlin, Germany from the 18th
century. It was designed by architect, Carl Gotthard Langhans and is one of the best known
landmarks in Germany. The Brandenburg Gate is considered a symbol of European unity and
peace and symbolizes over 200 years of history. This structure was built after order was
temporarily restored during the early Batavian Revolution and was ordered by Prussian king
Frederick William II. The site of the monument used to be a city gate that led to the start of the
road from Berlin to the town that used to be the capital of Margraviate of Brandenburg. The gate
represented German unity and freedom after the end of the Cold War. On November 9th, 1989,
the Berlin Wall fell and hundreds of people were celebrating this in front of the Brandenburg
Gate. The Brandenburg Gate was originally built to show the end of a boulevard, rather than to
show how divided Germany was at the time. From 2000 to 2002, the Brandenburg Gate was
renovated by Berlin’s Foundation for the Protection of Monuments for 6 million Euros.


The Brandenburg Gate is a gate made of sandstone and has 12 columns that create 5 spaces. It is approximately 66 feet high, 213 feet wide, and 36 feet deep. The middle space was originally only for people of royal status to use. These two houses were built in the late 1990s by an architect named Josef Paul Kleihues because the pavilions on the gate were destroyed during World War II. A statue of the goddess of victory was also added to the gate in 1793, as a symbol of peace. There are also many other structures that surround this gate.

Neoclassical architecture often had the same characteristics as Late Baroque architecture. It
tended to go back on old styles and alter them in another way. It is also a style that is based on
events from the past and is organized. Physically, there are more clear lines in the buildings and
a less cluttered appearance. The roof of neoclassical buildings are often flat and columns are
used to support the building. There is also a minimal amount of decoration on the outside. The
Brandenburg Gate is an example of neoclassical architecture because the vision for this design
was influenced by the Propylaea from Acropolis in Athens, Greece. Its design was based off of a
previous design and a previous style of architecture. It was also used as a symbol during the
Cold War and still is a symbol of history, which reflects on how neoclassical architecture tends to
be based on historical events. The gate also uses columns to support itself which is a quality of
neoclassical architecture.

The architect who designed the Brandenburg Gate is Carl Gotthard Langhans. He lived from
December 15, 1732 to October 1, 1808. He was born in Landeshut, Silesia which is now known
as Kamienna Góra, Poland. Langhans self taught himself architecture, while focusing on texts
from Vitruvius, a Roman architecture theorist, and learning the basics of building design.
Langhans was first recognized as an architect when he showed his first draft of “zum Schifflein
Christi” for the Protestant Church in 1764. He also designed the Count of Hatzfeld when it was
destroyed from war and had to be rebuilt from 1766 to 1774. Because of this, he became known
as royal court in Berlin and as a result, he built the staircase and the Muschelsall in Rheinsberg
Palace in 1766. Carl Gotthard Langhans was one of the first architects who went from Baroque
architecture to “adopting” the style of neoclassicism. He incorporated Greek structural designs in
his works along with Baroque designs.

Section view of Brandenburg Gate




Maranzani, Barbara. “Brandenburg Gate: A Brief History.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 19 June 2013, http://www.history.com/news/brandenburg-gate-a-brief-history

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