SIEGESSÄULE - COLUMN OF VICTORY

The 69-metre-high Victory Column, with its golden Victory Column raising a laurel wreath and an iron cross to the sky, can be seen from afar, although it sits in the middle of the Tiergarten. Built between 1865 and 1873 by the architect Heinrich Strack to commemorate the victories of the Prussian campaigns against Denmark, Austria and France, it was originally erected opposite the Reichstag on what is now the Platz der Republik. On the symbolic side, its golden statue (also known as Goldelse) represents Victoria, the Greek goddess of Victory. The mosaics and frescoes give an insight into the desire for unification orchestrated by Emperor Wilhelm I and his iron-fisted Chancellor Otto von Bismarck.

It was moved in 1938 by Hitler's architects. This relocation is one of the operations of the great project imagined by Albert Speer to build Germania, the new capital of the Reich dreamed of by Hitler. The Victory Column was to form the geometric centre of the intersections between the new north-south and east-west axes. It has become one of Berlin's most representative symbols, not because of its past and original significance, but rather because of numerous appearances in the art world, such as in Wim Wenders' film The Wings of Desire (Der Himmel über Berlin) or in numerous video clips, such as that of U2 (Stay, in 1993). Barack Obama also gave a speech there in 2008, preferring the venue to the Brandenburg Gate.

The monument is also associated with Berlin's gay community and has given its name to one of the queer magazines distributed free of charge in the city. It is a popular venue for Berlin's Gay Pride (here called CSD, Christopher Street Day). The Tiergarten Park, with its groves and nooks and crannies, is a popular meeting place.

This column therefore holds an important place in the history of the city and in the hearts of Berliners. If you are not afraid of heights and are in good shape, you can climb the stairs inside the column to reach a small platform (not recommended for people with reduced mobility). The panoramic view of Berlin is probably even more beautiful (and much cheaper) than from the Fernsehturm (the TV tower at Alexanderplatz). At your feet, and at 360 degrees, trees as far as the eye can see and, in the distance, the towers, bell towers and domes of the city.