Brandenburg Gate

Standing at the western end of Unter den Linden since 1791, the Brandenburg Gate is the city's best-known landmark. Carl Gotthard Langhans modeled it on the Propylaea of the Athenian Acropolis, and it is crowned by the Quadriga bearing Victoria, the goddess of victory. During Germany's division the gate sat in the restricted zone right against the Wall, off-limits to both sides, which is why it became the image of reunification after 1989.

The Pariser Platz in front is now a broad pedestrian square framed by embassies, the Hotel Adlon and the Academy of Arts. It gets busy during the day, full of street performers and tour groups. If you want a quieter mood and better light for photos, come early in the morning or late in the evening when the gate is floodlit.

The gate makes a great starting point for a walk: head west into the Tiergarten toward the Victory Column, south to the Holocaust Memorial, or east along Unter den Linden to Museum Island. Admission is free, since you take in the monument from the outside.