Victoria, Roman Goddess of Victory - Brandenburger Tor - Berlin, Germany
N 52° 30.975 E 013° 22.674
33U E 389931 N 5819696
Situated atop the Brandenburg Gate, a major landmark in Berlin, Germany, this Quadriga of Victoria, the Roman Goddess of Victory, was designed by Johann Gottfried Schadow in 1793 as the Quadriga of Victory.
Waymark Code: WMFN6P
Location: Berlin, Germany
Date Posted: 11/07/2012
Views: 149
The Brandenburg Gate was erected between 1788 and 1791 according to designs by Carl Gotthard Langhans whose vision was inspired by the Propyläen in Athens’ Acropolis. Prussian sovereign Friedrich Wilhelm II was looking for a suitable architectural statement to enhance the approach into the Boulevard Unter den Linden. The classical sandstone work is one of the masterpieces of this era and is the only surviving one of 18 previous city portals.
The Brandenburg Gate is crowned with a Quadriga, a sculpture representing Victoria, the Roman the Goddess of Victory, "who brings peace", marching into the city, by Johann Gottfried Schadow. A Quadriga is a chariot drawn by four horses. The Quadriga, which can be spotted from a long distance, was erected on the Gate in the summer of 1793.
In 1806 Napoleon marched triumphantly into Berlin and carried the Quadriga away with him to Paris as a spoil of war. From 1806 to 1814 the statue was held captive in France as a Napoleonic trophy during the years of France and Prussia’s military rivalry for imperial domination. In 1814, after the victorious conclusion of the wars of liberation, Schinkel replaced the olive wreath on the goddess' scepter with an iron cross crowned by the Prussian eagle, changing the figure's interpretation from a courier of peace into a goddess of victory.
The Quadriga saw triumphant parades in Imperial Germany and Nazi Germany until it was finally severely damaged in the Battle for Berlin in May 1945.
In 1950, the relics of the Quadriga was removed at the instigation of the East-Berlin authorities and predominantly destroyed.
On September 27th, 1958, the Quadriga was restored and installed without cross and eagle on the Brandenburg Gate. The Iron Cross was replaced with a wreath. In 1991 after the fall of the Berlin Wall, the Quadriga was further renovated and the Prussian Iron Cross and eagle appeared again on the pinnacle of Victoria, the Roman goddess of victory’s staff!
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"In ancient Roman religion, Victoria was the personified goddess of victory. She is the Roman equivalent of the Greek goddess Nike, and was associated with Bellona. She was adapted from the Sabine agricultural goddess Vacuna and had a temple on the Palatine Hill. The goddess Vica Pota was also sometimes identified with Victoria.
Unlike the Greek Nike, Victoria (Latin for "victory") was a major part of Roman society. Multiple temples were erected in her honor. When her statue was removed in 382 CE by Emperor Gratianus there was much anger in Rome. She was normally worshiped by triumphant generals returning from war.
Also unlike the Greek Nike, who was known for success in athletic games such as chariot races, Victoria was a symbol of victory over death and determined who would be successful during war.
Victoria appears widely on Roman coins, jewelry, architecture, and other arts. She is often seen with or in a chariot, as in the late 18th-century sculpture representing Victory in a quadriga on the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany; "Il Vittoriano" in Rome has two." (
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