The Brandenburg Gate

The Brandenburg Gate is Potsdam's most magnificent city gate and forms the crowning end of Potsdam's main promenade, Brandenburg Street. Frederick II commissioned its construction in 1770/71 after the Seven Years' War. Between 1756 and 1763, Prussia and Austria fought each other in the Third Silesian War. After seven years, Silesia was annexed by the Kingdom of Prussia. King Frederick the Great decreed that a triumphal arch should commemorate his victory.

A unique feature of this gate is that its exterior and interior were designed by two different architects. The grand exterior facing Sanssouci Palace was created by Georg Christian Unger, while the urban side was designed by Carl von Gontard. As was often the case in Potsdam, the Roman arch, specifically the Arch of Constantine in the Roman Forum, served as a model. In 1869, the Potsdam city wall was demolished, thus freeing up the city gates.