BERLIN VICTORY COLUMN

Description

Essentials about the Berin Victory Column in brief

In the middle of the Tiergarten at the traffic circle of the Großer Stern, the Victory Column rises from the surrounding greenery. The column is one of Berlin’s best-known landmarks and, because of its gilded sculpture, is also known somewhat disrespectfully as the “Goldelse” by locals. Originally, the Victory Column stood about two kilometers to the east at Königsplatz, but was moved to the Tiergarten in 1938/39 in the course of the transformation of Berlin by the National Socialists into the “Reichshauptstadt Germania”.

The history and architecture of the Berlin Victory Column

The reason for the construction of the Victory Column was Prussia’s victory against Denmark in the German-Danish War of 1864. Within a few years, two more victorious wars were added, the German War of 1866 against Austria and the German-French War of 1870/71. The victories in these three wars (today also called the Wars of Unity) are commemorated by the three original segments of the column, whose bronze reliefs and mosaic images in the colonnade trace the path to the founding of the German Empire. During the National Socialist era, the Victory Column was raised by a fourth drum, so that it now has a total height of 67 meters.

The Victory Column is crowned by an 8.3-meter-high, 35-ton gilded bronze sculpture depicting the Roman goddess of victory, Victoria, wearing a laurel wreath. However, her eagle-adorned helmet and the field emblem with the Iron Cross also make the sculpture appear as Borussia, the personification of Prussia.

The view from the Berlin Victory Column

Sporty visitors who are not afraid of confinement can climb a narrow spiral staircase with 285 steps to reach the viewing platform of the Victory Column at a height of 51 meters. From there you can enjoy a wonderful panoramic view over the huge, green Tiergarten and other parts of Berlin.