A symbol of both division and unity The Brandenburg Gate was commissioned by the Prussian Emperor Frederick William II in the late 1700s. Its original name meant 'Peace Gate'. For a time it divided East and West Berlin, but now it is an icon of peace that has shaped German identity throughout its turbulent past.

While the Brandenburg Gate is officially the Brandenburger Tor, its historical nickname is the "Peace Gate" (Friedenstor), as it was originally commissioned by King Frederick William II as a symbol of peace. However, there is a more witty and localized nickname specifically for the Quadriga (the chariot statue atop the gate). After Napoleon famously stole the statue and took it to Paris, its eventual return in 1814 led Berliners to cheekily refer to it as the "Retourkutsche" (the "return carriage" or "return coach"). This punny nickname refers both to the literal return of the statue and the German idiom for "giving someone a taste of their own medicine." In 2026, while the gate is universally recognized as a symbol of German unity, the nickname Retourkutsche remains a favorite piece of trivia among local guides and history enthusiasts exploring Berlin's Mitte district.