Berlin: Brandenburg Tor (Gate) & Tiergarten

Brandenburg Tor (Gate): Inspired by the Acropolis in Athens and now symbolizing German reunification, it was completed in 1791 as the Royal City Gate; on top is the Quadriga, the sculpture of the winged goddess of victory piloting a chariot drawn by 4 horses; went there our 1st morning to begin our walking tour and also walked by/through it many times later; very impressed by its magnitude on one of Berlin's many massive boulevards.

Tiergarten: Rulers used to hunt boar and pheasants in the park which is one of the world’s biggest urban parks, located in what was West Berlin; we walked for at least 3 hours through the park and still didn't see many of its sculptures, gardens, memorials, etc; the park is located in Central Berlin on both sides of a huge boulevard beginning at Brandenburg Gate and extending for several miles west to Charlottenburg (more on that area in an future post); it was so serene and peaceful walking through the park on its countless trails and paths jutting off in every direction; as throughout Berlin, there were lots of bike riders and quite a few joggers.

Can't describe a garden the magnitude of the Tiergarten without
beginning with a flower picture, I figure!

So glad we brought with us our ultra cheap rain ponchos
we got last year in Cambodia as it drizzled the 1st 2 afternoons.

Memorial to 2000 plus Soviet soldiers buried here in Berlin. 

 

Part of the Soviet Memorial at the Tiergarten;
this one's for you, Zachary.

 

Steven at the Sinta/Roma Memorial:
'the black water serves as a mirror and reflects the sky.'

Victory Column was erected as a national monument during the unification wars; the Golden Victoria, later added at the top, is referred to by Berliners as the Gold Elsie; the column is now a symbol of Berlin's huge gay community; Obama spoke to 200,000 Germans from this spot as a presidential candidate in 2008.

The Rose Garden was particularly lovely; pictures below
but not of any roses!

This color has always reminded me of touring Scotland
40 years ago this summer - yikes, do I feel old saying that!

Memorial to Queen Luise of Prussia.

We popped into the Adlon Hotel just on the East Berlin side of the Brandeburg Gate to relax
 (and coincidentally use the sumptuous facilities) our 1st afternoon after walking for
miles and miles; you may remember the famous photo of Michael Jackson
dangling his young child from the balcony at the Adlon?

We went back to the Tiergarten the next day: this is the Musicians' Memorial.