"What’s this place all about? This triumphant neoclassical arch is Berlin’s most famous monument and the only remaining gate of the 14 that originally surrounded the city when it was a proud Prussian metropolis. Since then, Napoleon and Hitler have stormed through it and the world watched as thousands of Berliners swarmed the site with sledgehammers to topple the nearby Wall in 1989. Ever since, this Acropolis-inspired, 1791 monument has come to symbolize German reunification. What’s it like being there? For many visitors, the Brandenburg Gate is the first stop while sightseeing. The sandstone arch opens onto the spacious Pariser Platz square and serves as the portal to Berlin’s most impressive street: Unter den Linden. As such, the site is expectedly buzzing with tourists, street performers, and selfie sticks. It also serves as the monumental backdrop for Berlin’s annual Pride Parade, as well as concerts, festivals, and World Cup viewing parties. Who comes here? Conveniently located within easy walking distance of a trio of boldfaced Berlin sites ( Tiergarten Park , the Reichstag , and The Holocaust Memorial ), the Brandenburg Gate serves as a central meeting place for tourists. Several English-language plaques offer a brief history of the gate and Pariser Platz on either side of the arch, but after snapping a few quick photos, most folks move on. The best photo-op is at dusk, when the gate is evocatively lit by a series of lights. Did it meet expectations? With a chariot drawn by four horses and driven by the goddess of victory, this triumphal arch, which is surrounded by the French and American embassies, parliament offices, and the post-reunification federal quarter, looks every bit as monumental as it should. It was here that 100,000 Berliners converged in 1989 to topple the Berlin Wall that divided them for decades. But in a city that’s been bombed to bits and largely rebuilt, the fact that the 18th-century gate is still standing is perhaps the most striking thing about it. So then what, or who, do you think it’s best for? For many, the Brandenburg Gate is Berlin, and anyone who visits should see it—even just for a photo-op." - Eliot Stein
