Berlin hosts the Silvester celebration at the Brandenburg Gate each New Year's Eve.
Silvester is the German name for New Year's Eve, and Berlin's large public celebration takes place around the Brandenburg Gate and Straße des 17. Juni. It typically features live entertainment, a midnight fireworks display and a very large crowd. The exact program and organization can change from year to year.
The Brandenburg Gate is one of Berlin's most recognizable landmarks. Built in the late eighteenth century as a neoclassical city gate, it later became a powerful symbol of Germany's division and reunification. Its location makes it a prominent backdrop for national and civic events.
Berlin's Silvester gathering should not be confused with Oktoberfest in Munich or the Cologne Carnival season. The German word Silvester comes from Pope Sylvester I, whose feast day is December 31 in the Western Christian calendar. In German-speaking countries, the word therefore names the final day of the year as well as related celebrations.