Which gate stood beside the Berlin Wall and became a symbol of divided Berlin?

The Brandenburg Gate stood beside the Berlin Wall and became a symbol of divided Berlin. The neoclassical monument was completed in 1791 and originally formed one of Berlin’s city gates.

After the wall was built in 1961, the gate stood in a restricted area just behind the border barrier on the East Berlin side. West Berliners could see it, but neither ordinary visitors nor vehicles could pass through it. Its location made it a powerful visual emblem of the city’s division.

The gate’s political meaning changed after the border opened in November 1989. Crowds gathered around it, and images of Berliners celebrating there circulated around the world. It later became closely associated with German reunification.

The Brandenburg Gate is topped by a quadriga, a four-horse chariot sculpture. It should not be confused with the Berlin Wall itself: the gate predates the wall by 170 years and survived the period of division.