Located in Berlin, today the Brandenburg Gate represents the unification of East and West Germany. It was commissioned by Friedrich Wilhelm II and built in 1791 as a monument to peace. The Gate's architect was Karl Gotthard Langhans. During the Cold War, the Brandenburg Gate became part of the Berlin Wall.
Built in 1871 to mark the formation of the German empire, the Rüdesheim Niederwald monument is more than 130 feet tall and nearly 120 feet wide. The monument features a 32-ton bronze statue of Germania holding both the imperial sword and the German emperor's crown. The Rüdesheim Niederwald monument is located near the Niederwald forest and the Rhine River. Visitors can access the monument via cable car.
Situated on the Danube River, the Walhalla monument was commissioned by the Bavarian King Ludwig I. Built between 1830 and 1842 by architect Leo von Klenze, the Walhalla monument is a temple honoring historical German citizens and other important figures with relationships to Germany. The building is Doric in style and the memorials are fashioned as marble busts and plaques.
The Battle of Leipzig memorial remembers those lost in the historical battle with Napoleon in 1813. The monument is a temple 91 meters high, designed by Bruno Schmitz and built between 1858 and 1913. The monument includes a museum covering the Battle of Leipzig and its aftermath. Guided tours are offered for visitors.
Berlin's Tiergarten park is home to the Siegessäule victory column. It is 69 meters tall and was originally located in front of the Reichstag at Känigsplatz (today known as the Platz der Republik). In 1938 the Nazis moved the Siegessäule column to its present location.
The victory column was constructed between 1864 and 1873. It was designed by Johann Heinrich Stack to mark the defeat of Prussia during the Prusso-Danish war of 1864. Later Prussian victories over France and Austria inspired the addition of the 25-foot gilded statue that tops the column. This 35-ton figure symbolizes the Goddess of Victory and was designed by Friedrich Drake.
At the base of the Siegessäule visitors can see bas reliefs of German military battles. The column also features a mosaic from Anton von Werner commemorating the 1871 founding of the German Empire. There is an observatory on the top of the monument.
