Brandenburg Gate

Kaliningrad, Russia

The Brandenburg Gate is one of few surviving city gates in Kaliningrad. It was built in the south-western part of Königsberg in 1657, with the strengthening of the city walls at the intersection with the road leading to the castle of Brandenburg (now the village of Ushakovo). Due to lack of funds a mere wooden gate was erected. Some hundred years later the gate was torn down and replaced by a brick structure by order of King Frederick II of Prussia.

During restoration work in 1843 the gate was significantly altered and decorated with sharp decorative pediments, cruciform sandstone color, stylized leaves on the tops, coats of arms and medallions. Sculptures of Field Marshal Hermann von Boyen (1771-1848), a war minister and reformer of the Prussian army, and Lieutenant-General Ernst von Aster (1778-1855), chief of the engineering corps, and one of the initiators of the second strengthening of the city walls, were added as well.

The Brandenburg Gate is the only gate of the still existing gates of Kaliningrad that performs its original transport function. The structure has been restored and is protected by the state as an architectural monument.

Though built in the middle of the 19th century, the Königsberg gates were neogothic in style. The Brandenburg Gate expresses the Gothic motifs particularly vividly. The pediments in the form of arrows give this gate, which is in fact rather low, a sense of height. The gate is richly decorated with decorative elements, such as the high relief stone and stylized flowers.

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Details

Founded: 1657
Category: Castles and fortifications in Russia

More Information

en.wikipedia.org

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4.7/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Venula Tharusha (2 years ago)
The construction of the Brandenburg Gate was completed in 1657, when the city was called Königsberg. The finished design bore little resemblance to the modern version. It was a wooden gate dug into the ground with a roof. To better protect the city, a ditch was dug in front of them and filled with water. The structure stood for about a hundred years, until the King of Prussia, Frederick the Great, ordered its reconstruction. The wooden building was replaced by a thick-walled brick building with two arched passages. Casemates, storage and utility rooms were arranged inside it. The arched roof served as decoration. In this form, the Brandenburg Gate stood for almost 100 years. In 1843, they underwent a large-scale reconstruction, becoming even more beautiful. They were decorated with sculptural portraits of military officials, coats of arms, arrow-shaped pediments, medallions, single-headed eagles and sandstone flowers.
Сергей Вахненко (ftaser) (4 years ago)
Too many cars, and too contrast to anything around. Except road, it's brilliant (rock, but who cares) it's really pretty
The Holy Roman Empire (4 years ago)
Happy to see königsberg still has some original architecture
Aman Verma (4 years ago)
There is a small museum inside.
Konstantin Gus (4 years ago)
Nice to see place .
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