Brandenburg Gate

The Brandenburg Gate is no doubt Berlin's most iconic structure and is one of the most famous tourist attractions that many tourists choose to visit first in Germany. For that reason, this spot deserves the first spot on this list!

The Brandenburg Gate is an 18th-century neoclassical monument in Berlin, modeled on the Acropolis in Athens and built on the orders of Prussian king Frederick William II after restoring the Orangist power by suppressing the Dutch popular unrest. It is located in the western part of the city center of Berlin within Mitte, at the junction of Unter den Linden and Ebertstrabe, west of the Pariser Platz. The gate is the entry to Unter den Linden, a boulevard of linden trees that led directly to the royal City Palace of the Prussian monarchs.

The Brandenburg Gate's total height is 26 meters, including the Quadriga - the spectacular four-horse chariot carrying the goddess of victory. Six enormous columns on either side of the gate create five imposing passageways; four of them were utilized by general traffic, while the center was set aside for the carriages of the king and queen. Huge Doric columns are also used to embellish the two structures that used to house guards and toll collectors on either side of the Gate.

The Brandenburg Gate has witnessed numerous significant historical occurrences over the course of its existence and is now regarded as a symbol of not only the tumultuous histories of Germany and Europe but also of peace and unity on the continent. The majestic structure you see today was once part of the infamous Berlin Wall and, for a few decades, was severely damaged during WWII.