Siegessäule

The Siegessäule, also known as Victory Column, is one of Berlin’s main postcards and is located in the heart of the Tiergarten park, on a roundabout called “Großer Stern” (Great Star) – that’s because this roundabout gives access to five different roads, just as a star has five points.

The work, designed by the architect Heinrich Strack, was completed in 1873 and symbolizes the military victories of Prussia against Austria, Denmark and France between the years of 1864 and 1871.

At first, the obelisk was located in front of the Reichstag in the Königsplatz square, and was transferred to its current location on Straße 17 Juni in 1937, during the period in which the Nazis were in power. At the time, Hitler’s government had numerous plans to turn Berlin into Welthaupstadt Germania (World Capital Germania), and this change complemented the urban plan of the gigantic project.

The monument is 66.89 meters high, with a beautiful statue made of bronze of 8.3 meters and 35 tons, representing the Roman goddess Victory. The statue was designed by Friedrich Drake, who also designed famous structures such as the statue of Wilhelm I in Cologne and the monument to Karl Friedrich Schinkel at the Schinkelplatz in Berlin. A 285-step staircase gives access to the top of the column, where there is a platform for viewing 50.66 meters from the ground.

Inside there is a museum with miniatures of monuments from other countries. It is still possible to find damages in the structure of the Siegessäule caused by projectiles fired during the Second World War. It is well worth the visit, since you can get a panoramic view of the city of Berlin and still observe the magnitude of the park at your feet.

When you are there, be aware that it is not allowed to get to the monument crossing the streets. To access it, make use of one of the access tunnels that pass through the underground. The cost for the visit is 3 euros (2.50 reduced for students), and children under 5 do not pay.

To get there you can use the S-Bahn (S5, S7 and S75) train lines at Bellevue station, U-Bahn (U9) subway station at Hansaplatz station or bus lines 100, 106 and 187 with Stop at Großer Stern.

One last tip, if you want to enjoy a typical Biergarten during the summer period, be sure to visit Cafe am neuen See and have a pint of beer. It is very close to the Siegessäule! 😉