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First time I came here was in 1987, I have witnessed the extreme changes around the Gate, but amazed as to how the gate itself has remained unchanged for so many years. It's great walking around the gate itself, but what's great is to look up photos through the years to see the changes. I always walk around the area and take in the culture, and it is interesting to see the cobblestone line where the wall used to be. Such incredible history...
The Tor is an incredible piece of both history and cultural. The fleeing Ossies trying to escape the GDR and risking their lives in the process. Both Kennedy's famous speech and misquote.... Reagan's challenge to Gorbachev and of course, that night in November,1989. So standing here, takes your breath away and makes it hard to processing everything over just the last fifty years and I haven't even thought about Napoleon and his troops.
This neoclassical gate stands as a symbol of Germany, both in its disunity and reunification. It was a point along the Berlin Wall demarcating the divide, and also the formal gate leading up to Unter den Linden, the main road connecting the western section of the city to the Berlin Cathedral and former Prussian City Palace (now the Humboldt Forum). While there isn't much to do from a tourist's standpoint aside from walking thru it, taking in the view and snapping a few pics, it's one of those sights that deserves a moment of pause and reflection to contemplate Germany's turbulent past. When I visited in October, it happened to coincide with the Festival of Lights going on in Berlin where creative media displays are choreographed to music and projected onto key buildings in the city. The evening atmosphere brimmed with curiosity and excited energy as onlookers watched the normally stoic buildings or structures lit up with dancing images. They closed off the streets to automobiles directly around the monument and large crowds of people gathered eager to watch the spectacle. Yea the hoards of people made for a crowded subway ride back to my hotel but it was a lovely moment gathering with others to enjoy the show.
Built between 1789 and 1793 by Willhelm II this gate is the only one of the last 18 Berlin city gates to survive and is the most recognizable Berlin landmark and a German national symbol. I have seen this gate many times and it has been in almost all of my modern history textbooks because it has been involved in many significant historical events throughout the 19th and 20th century. It is absolutely beautiful and I especially like seeing it at dusk when it's lit up. This area can get extremely busy so beware of pick pockets and it's also impossible to get a picture without some people in the background or foreground because it's a popular meeting place and a very busy tourist attraction. Given the importance of it, I would say this is a must see site while visiting Berlin and I plan to see it many more times in the future.
Date of visit: May 30, 2024 I was expecting something akin to the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, but this unfortunately does not compare. It is certainly historic and in good shape for its age, but lacks the grandeur of the Arc. During my visit there was a lot of construction in the area, so perhaps that was dulling my enthusiasm and appreciation for this historic landmark but I really came away quite underwhelmed. On the positive side, there is a subway station very close to the gate, making it very accessible as well as to get away quickly, too!
10/2/23 this was definitely one of my favorite sights in Berlin. I highly suggest going early in the morning to avoid crowds. We were there around 7am and there was hardly any people. I wished we got to go back to see it at night all lit up. There were people jogging and riding bikes through the gate. The subway is right there and there's a Starbucks, cafes and souvenir shops in the area.
To see it in person was awesome, after seeing it so many times on TV etc. We went by many times and if you want to avoid people, go early in the morning. The place is also a meeting place for protest, etc, so be mindful of that when you visit, we ran into few and we altered our travel paths.
This is a very popular spot to visit in Berlin. Although I have no idea what it means or represents. There is usually tons of people here at any given time. I saw a few protesters (no idea what they were protesting) protesting stuff, people dressed for photos, people walking around with their country flags, music, etc. I enjoyed walking through here, people watching and snapping a few photos.
Iconic landmark in Berlin; part of East Berlin when the city was still divided before the downfall of the Berlin Wall. It is symbolic for being a site where a lot of historical events in Europe and Germany occurred in the past. I was lucky enough to catch a demonstration by a group of cyberpunks during my visit. Not sure what the protest was about, but it seemed fit for the city best known for their underground techno scene and anti-authoritarian subculture. Spectacular archaic structure standing in the middle of a concrete jungle.
This is the one snapshot every tourist takes in Berlin because it represents the same iconic image for that metropolis that the Eiffel Tower does for Paris, that the Empire State Building does for New York, that Big Ben does for London, that the House of Prime Rib does for San Francisco. Hey, we all have our own landmarks, and there is no arguing with the majesty of its classic architecture based on the Propylaea, the gateway to the Acropolis in Athens. There is the famous chariot, the Quadriga, which crowns the top as Victoria, the Roman goddess of victory, steers the horses. She is statue. Hear her roar. For some reason, I thought auto traffic drove through it but no, the area is mostly pedestrianized. It stands west of the cobblestone Parisier Platz where many of the embassies are. The Kennedy Museum is here and so is a very busy Starbucks, as well as the Hotel Adlon where Michael Jackson infamously dangled "Blanket" out of a window a decade ago to the horror of the world. But he wasn't the only headline grabber here as this is where Reagan told Gorbachev to tear down the wall back in 1987. I have to say that the Brandenburg Gate looks exactly the way it looks in pictures (see my gallery). Unlike me where the camera adds ten pounds, and please don't ask me how many cameras were pointed at me. read more
Absolutely gorgeous! You know you are in Berlin when you are standing in front of the Brandenburg Tor. The area around this beautiful site is always packed, so just a warning for anyone who hates crowds. The lit Christmas tree in front of the Gate made it all so magical! And looking out of our hotel room to see the Gate was breathtaking! A must-see, for sure. read more
3 years ago
Certainly one of the more photogenic locations in town with a lovely gate as background especially when the sky is blue. Fun fact is that there's almost always a demonstration around so it's nice to have some crowed around. Historically it use to be the entrance to Berlin, where the goddess of peace was installed on top of the gate until the French (Napolean) stole the statue for his private museum collection which the Germans took back when the Prussians defeat the French 8 years later and renamed her the goddess Victoria (victory) instead. read more
Perhaps the most iconic structure in Berlin, the Brandenburger Tor (or Brandenburg Gate in English) is a gate built in the 18th century that marked the start of the road from Berlin to the town of Branderburg an der Havel. The gate was commissioned by King Frederick William II of Prussia as a sign of peace. During the post-war Partition of Germany, the gate was isolated and inaccessible due to its proximity to the Berlin Wall. Today, the gate is considered a symbol of European unity and peace. The gate is striking - at any time of day. On our trip to Berlin (my second), we walked past or through the gate twice (once at night and one in the morning). The gate is a must-see, must-photograph site in Berlin. However, it is also a stop for EVERY walking tour in Berlin (and a hangout for tour guides looking for a group) and is PACKED with people! Definitely the most crowded with tourists place in Berlin that we visited! Still, it's an exceptional piece of architecture and history and well worth a stop on your visit to Berlin! read more
12 years ago
Impressive, but disappointed that it has become like Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles, full of touristy characters like fake WWII soldiers, life size "Berlin" bears posing for photos, and even DARTH VADER. Really?? I wouldn't mind if these stupid characters weren't standing 500 meters from the gate, blocking an excellent photo opportunity. Yes, you know they purposely stand there to get in your photo, hoping to get a euro out of you for being a good tourist "prop". I hope Berlin cleans up this area, and let visitors stop by and see this gate, and remember that it once separated East and West. Now, its just a stupid tourist trap with kebop carts adverstising food. No wonder there's a Starbucks located just down the walkway. I guess come SUPER early like 0700, or super late like midnight. Getting there at 10:00 was no bueno. read more
Really neat gate, so much history, and very cool to see at night all lit up. I think of this as the epicenter of Berlin - where east meets west, right next to the reunified Germany parliament, and right in the midst of where everything happened in the middle of the 20th century. There are some tasty food carts right here too, and lots of people on bikes. read more
9 years ago
The Brandenburg Gate, or Brandenburg Tor in German is one of the main tourist points in Berlin, associated with the capital of Germany. Of course this was on my checklist to visit during my trip to Berlin, and surprisingly is one of the many places I haven't got round to reviewing yet, but I'm happy to mark the Brandenburg Gate's 500th review on Yelp today, which also happens to be my 600th review I have written so far in 2017, which is an average of over 1.7 reviews a day on a more personal milestone for myself. Back to the regular review - This place is relatively easy to get to on public transport, as I recall it is on the U55 line which is one of the shortest yet most important lines on the Berlin metro system, which also includes the Bunderstag (Parliament) and Central Railway Station, meaning it can be pretty easy to get too. The location also is decent, yet it can get so busy and touristy, for example the small Starbucks nearby does have great views as you can sit outside looking at the Gate with a coffee, but it can be so hard to move around inside and get a table, so be prepared for a large amount of crowds and a struggle to get things nearby due to the touristy nature of the Gate, and it's surrounding area. Brandenburg Gate has an impressive history behind it, being built in the late 1700's however it was restored after the end of the Second World War. You could even travel freely through this gate, which was located in East Berlin until the Berlin Wall was built. Famous speeches have happened at the gate such as in 1987, where then President of the United States, Ronald Regan appealed to then President of the Soviet Union, Mikhail Gorbachev to "tear down this wall" A cool attraction and a must see in Berlin warrants a three star rating - Perhaps adding more historical information close to the wall and improving the tourist flow would make this better. read more
6 years ago
We caught it right at sunset and the view was amazing. Of course it's crowded but if you go in the back there's less people. There are signs around about the history behind it. Berlin's iconic Brandenburg Gate is a must visit! read more
7 years ago
This was the final stop on our mini tour of Berlin. Luckily we had local friends taking us around who dropped us off and double parked nearby so we could get a few pics in. The structure is beautiful and grand. The courtyard was packed with people. There weren't any restaurants or shops within in so there wasn't much to do besides stand there and take a few pics. 10 minutes and we were done. read more
7 years ago
4 years ago
Gorgeous Iconic Berlin Landmark! This should definitely be on your Berlin-Must See List! Lots of Photo ops! Heck do what the tourists do! *I'm not gonna lie... I didn't know what this gate was when my friend from Berlin took me here... I actually still don't know what this gate is.... I guess I need to google it. read more
13 years ago
One of the must sees on any tourist's visit to Berlin, the Brandenburg Gate is the only surviving city gate left standing today Commissioned by Friedrich Wilhelm in the 1730s to represent peace, it draws the inspiration for its design from the Propylaea, the gateway to the Acropolis in Athens. Damaged in World War 2 , it was only fully restored in 2000-2002 It's close enough to Potsdamer Platz and the Reichstag Building to do a good walking tour taking in the Brandenburg Gate. It's in a pedestranised area and therefore easy to photograph without any danger of getting run over! Keep an eye out for the Hotel Adlon Kempinski nearby, which is where Michael Jackson famously dangled his baby out of the window read more
10 years ago
Historic structure in Berlin, Germany. Brandenburg Gate was built in 1789 to celebrate the victories of the Prussian army. More recently, it was used to represent the separation between East and West Berlin. It was one of the crossing points in the wall when the city was divided during the Cold War. This beautiful landmark is a "Can't Miss" destination on a trip to Berlin. read more
12 years ago
I remember the time when I got a speeding ticket while driving through the Brandenburg Gate. Yes, that was pre 2004 (you were still allowed to drive underneath it), and yes, I'm old. Unfortunately I was a cab driver back then to make some money on the side while going to university, and my passenger was not impressed by the extra break we needed to take in order to talk to the police. Well, good times. Now the Brandenburg Gate is closed for traffic (no more speeding tickets!) and is a tourist magnet, rightfully so. If it's not being reconstructed you can admire the sheer beauty of this Berlin landmark #1. While I can't elaborate on the amazing history of this gate in this review (built in 1791), mark the fun fact: The Quadriga on top of it was stolen by Napoleon in 1806 and brought to Paris, and returned by the Allies in 1814. During WWII, the gate itself and the Quadriga got almost completely destroyed. Geographically it was located in East Berlin and the Socialist government decided to reconstruct it by 1956. After the wall was built in 1961 the gate was within the separation zone and could not be accessed from either West or East until 1989. "Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!" read more
4 years ago
5 years ago
Great to see when it is all lite up at night. Most walking tours in town will take you by this place to see it, but come back and see it at night. There is a lot of history around this gate which is cool to hear about so don't just take a picture of it and move on. read more
This is a must see when traveling to Berlin. Very close to the Holocaust Memorial and Reichstag -it is very easy to tour all three. The structure is magnificent -very similar to the Acropolis in Athens, topped with an impressive quadriga. The structure was badly damaged in WWII and, if you look closely, you can see the patches placed on bullet holes. It's a marvelous piece of history that was not always used for good -but that now represents peace and unity. I loved it! read more
9 years ago
This is a must - see if you are going to Berlin. It is a beautiful tower with a sculpture at the top that represents peace. You have to get a ton of photos in front of it but there will be a lot of people in the photos. There is nothing you can do about that. My friend and I enjoyed walking around this area and seeing all of the embassies and the fountains. I was only in Berlin for one day, but this is something you have to do. It is very iconic of Germany. read more
10 years ago
7 years ago
This is an awe inspiring sight to visit. 30 years ago the wall to East Berlin was just being taken down and this is a very significant reminder that people were not allowed in or out. And this gateway is a sign of progress bringing East and West together. It is a wonderful feeling being able to walk freely through these vast pillars! read more
This is iconic Berlin, and iconic Freedom itself. Built in the 1700s as a symbol for peace, it is often the flashpoint when peace and freedom are taken away as it was in the 20th C. by the communist regime. After its recent restoration, passage under the arch was turned over to pedestrian traffic. My impression is that the light of history is dimmed by the sideshow on the cobblestones today. There are too many buskers, and not enough opportunities to observe or to respect the role this monument has played. read more
10 years ago
Purely a tourist attraction but it has a lot of historical meaning so it's worth a walk. Parked at the memorial and walked over here, about 10-15 minute on foot. Parking here was not plausible, today there were TV news cast, satellites and a bunch of government officials cars. Not sure what as going on. But this is a must see, the historical meaning of this place is a must read, and the cold war was never this real when this was the no man's zone not so long ago. Take photos. It'll make it a fun momento some day. read more
An absolutely beautiful piece of architecture, the Brandenburg Gate is a must-see for anyone visiting Berlin. Thankfully, with its central location visiting the Brandenburg Gate isn't an out-of-the-way thing to do. When I was last in Berlin, I was visiting during the Berlin Marathon, and the Brandenburg Gate was the finish line. From that moment on, I told myself that I would one day come back and run the Berlin Marathon. I mean, how awesome would it be to end your race at the Brandenburg Gate? Being able to end your epic journey by passing through this historic gate would pretty much be one of the great moments in life. read more
7 years ago
This is one of the must sees landmarks in Berlin. Since you are going to see it anyway, I might as well try to give you some pointers. Most bus tours provide service on the Western Side of gate. During day, there are plenty of photo ops including with fake US and USSR soldiers holding flags. You can get a passport stamp here with Eastern Germany. read more
Wow, there are some really great reviews of the Brandenburg Gates in Berlin on Yelp. I hadn't heard of the Brandenburg Gates before I went on a cruise and stopped in Berlin. I didn't know much about the history or significance of this structure. I saw the Brandenburg Gates, took pictures, and got a postcard, but I wasn't that amazed by it. It's definitely a tourist stop in Berlin. read more
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Brandenburger Tor - landmarks - Updated July 2026
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