Brandenburg Gate in Berlin

One of Berlin's most famous sights, the Brandenburg Gate is located on the western edge of Pariser Platz just inside the former East Berlin. Rising up from behind the Berlin Wall, it was a potent symbol of Berlin's division. From the construction of the Wall in 1961 up until 1989 the Brandenburg Gate was inaccessible to the general public.

The first Brandenburg Gate (pictured right) was built in 1734, when a permimeter wall was constructed around the edge of the city. This wall, called the "Zoll- und Akzisemauer" ("Customs and Excise Wall") was not for defensive purposes but for controlling the flow of people and goods to and from the city. As well as the Brandenburg Gate, 17 other gates were built, none of which have survived to the present day, alhtough many have lent their names to the area or the street crossings where they once stood.