Brandenburg Gate – The Untold Story of Berlin's Quadriga

The Berlin Quadriga of the Brandenburg Gate underwent a remarkable transformation from a symbol of peace to a triumphant monument.

Art historian Bénédicte Savoy sheds light on the events that led to this change in meaning. How did it come about that Johann Gottfried Schadow's creation was first taken from Berlin to Paris as a war trophy by Napoleon, but then forgotten in a depot and almost stayed in Paris forever? It was only during this period of involuntary absence that the work of art became a symbol of Prussia and of the victory over France. The Brandenburg Gate was transformed into a hotspot of German history. Time and again, the horse and carriage has been the focus of attention, as stolen goods, as a backdrop for imperial parades and Nazi marches as well as a symbol during the Cold War and the frenzy of reunification.