One of the enduring images of the Cold War is the sight of the Brandenburg Gate behind barbed wire and later The Wall as symbol of not only a divided city but also a divided world. It was for this distinct twentieth century role, more than its late eighteenth century origin, that I wanted to see the Gate. However, my attempts to see the Gate were thwarted. To add to the disappointment of the nearby Bundestag being closed for maintenance for the whole of the week we were in Berlin, the Brandburger Tor was fully draped in construction gauge bearing an enormous advertising for Bild newspaper and Deutsche Telekom. The Gate reopened with fanfare on October 3, 2002, although seeing the event live on German television does not compare to seeing the real thing.

From the former East German side the four-horse Quadriga sculpture could be seen and it is a pretty sight even at a distance. Originally a symbol of peace, it was carted of to Paris by an all-conquering Napoleon Bonaparte just to return in 1814 as a symbol of victory. The sculpture was damaged during the Second World War but in a rare moment of East-West cooperation, a new one was produced from the original castings, which were in West Berlin.

Of The Wall there is no sight near the Brandenburg Gate. In fact it is pretty hard to find The Wall nowadays. A large part is left at the Topographie des Terrors near Checkpoint Charlie. This site was the original headquarters of the SS, Gestapo, and other Nazi institutions. The buildings were destroyed during and after the war. A museum is planned for this site, but in the mean time an open air exhibitions of photos and German text explain some of the crimes committed by these Nazi institutions (English audio-guides are apparently available from the information desk). The northern edge of the site has a long piece of the wall still intact. This piece of the Wall will be preserved and presumably be incorporated into the planned museum.

Across the road is part of the Finance Ministry - apparently this is the only building remaining from the Nazi era still in use. It used to house the Luftwaffe (Air Force).

The Brandenburg Gate is a must see for your visit to Berlin. It's a quick stop at about 15 minutes to read about the history and snap a few photos. There are a few signs around the square that tell a little detail of the history. Note that English does appear on one side of the signs.

The gate was build in the late 18th Century as prominent entrance to the developing town square. The architecture of the gate is impressive. But, don't just look from afar. Walk underneath the gate to see up close the artistry between the columns. If you walk just a bit further to the road, you can see the zigzag path of where the Berlin Wall used to be. It runs through the current street.

Berlin is a city steeped in history and no matter where you look, or find yourself within the city, you are guaranteed to be surrounded by remnants and artifacts reminding you of past events in this great city. I would say none are more poignant than the Brandenburg Gate, or as it is known in Germany, the Brandenburger Tor. In Berlin's heyday before World War II, the Gate marked the grand western extremity of the "main street," Unter den Linden.

Brandenburg Gate was built during the 18th-century reign of Friedrich Wilhelm II and has long been a defining symbol of Berlin and both the city's division and unification. It was located in no-man's land between East and West Germany during the Cold War when the Berlin Wall still stood. Until recently, you could still see the bullet holes dotted throughout this monument. Unfortunately, it has received an uplift in recent months, meaning these are no longer visible.

The thing I like best about Brandenburg Gate is its location. Located in the glorious and extremely wealthy Pariser Platz, it is the perfect place to sit back and watch the world go by. You have the Reichstag to one side of it, while on the other is the War Memorial to the Murdered Jews. Directly behind it is the Tiegarten.

There is a Starbucks Coffee shop right next to the gate, and although there is no doubting in my opinion this has ruined the atmosphere (I mean do you really want to go to places filled with so much history and have your view obscured by a Starbucks?), it’s a perfect place to sit and people-watch. This is also the place where the New Berlin Walk starts at 11am, which I highly recommend taking.

Opposite the Brandenburg Gate is also the Hotel Adlon. This was made famous recently by Michael Jackson who dangled his baby over the balcony, seemingly for no reason! The window he did this from was the 2nd top left on the side of the hotel facing Brandenburg Gate.

Although not for everyone, one way of seeing and experiencing the Brandenburg Gate is by running the Berlin Marathon. I had the pleasure of running this marathon in September 2005. You run through the Brandenburg Gate just before the finish line. It was an amazing experience. Unfortunately the moment was lost slightly as I was out sprinted by a dwarf half my height to the finish line. Very embarrassing!! If you are interested then you can find more information at www.berlin-marathon.com.

The north wing of the Gate houses a 'quiet room' where visitors are invited to sit and contemplate in peace. The south wing houses a tourist information office (10am-6pm, Monday-Sunday). To get to the Brandenburg Gate take bus 100 to Unter den Linden, or S-Bahn’s S1, S2, S25. Unfortunately Unter den Linden is going through a lot of reconstruction at the moment, which hinders photo taking opportunities. More information on the Gate can be found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brandenburg_Gate.

Das Brandenburger Tor, to use the German name for this piece of Germanic history, is emblematic to both Berlin and the German State. Its silhouette or the "quadriga" atop it is seen everywhere: on television news programs as a backdrop when the subject is domestic, on travel posters and brochures, and on stamps.

It may not be the most inspiring structure in the country from an architectural or artistic point of view, but as a symbol for German culture and history, it is probably unique in its importance.

It was originally conceived in the latter half of the 18th century as a suitable marker to place at the end of the new Unter den Linden boulevard through the heart of the German capital. At the same time, it was meant to mark the military victory over a battle to put down a rebellion in the Netherlands, which were at that time controlled by Prussia.

The most important part of the gate is the "Quadriga" on top: this copper sculpture shows the goddess of Victory riding in a two-wheeled cart pulled by four horses (hence the name) holding a staff. At the top of it there is an Iron Cross and the German Eagle.

With the arrival of the Nazis, swastikas were added to the Quadriga, which turned it into a symbol of Nazism, which had to be purged after WWII. For a time, up until the ill-fated uprising against the Communist government in the East in 1953, it was replaced by a red flag. After it was burnt, it was decided that the Quadriga had to be returned.

The problem was that it had been destroyed and the plaster moulds were in the West. After lengthy discussions, the West Berlin Senate decided to have it recast and given to the East Germans, which was done. However, when it went up, the "trophy," which carries the Iron Cross and German eagle, were removed.

After 1961 and the construction of the Wall, the gate became even more fraught with meaning: it became the symbol for the division of Berlin, Germany, and, indeed, the world. When the wall came down in 1989, it was an emotional meeting place for Germans from both sides of the now defunct divide between them. Afterward, the Quadriga was restored to its original state, the gate was eventually opened to traffic in 1998, and it is now perhaps Berlin's important cultural monument and a "must" on every tourist's itinerary.