The Victory Column (Siegessäule)

The Victory Column was erected as a symbol of triumph in the Prussian wars of unification against Denmark, Austria, and France in the second half of the 19th century. The author of the project of the monument was the architect Heinrich Strack.
The official opening ceremony of the Victory Column took place in 1873, while it precisely timed to coincide with the third anniversary of the victory in the Battle of French Sedan, September 2. The opening ceremony was attended personally by Kaiser Wilhelm I and Otto von Bismarck.
The Victory Column installed on a pedestal made of red granite originally consisted of three parts. Instead of decorations, gilded trophy cannons were used, crowned with gilded laurel wreaths: Danish on the bottom, Austrian on the middle, French on the top.
The column of victors crowned with a gilded figure of Victoria, the Roman goddess of victory, respectively. Victoria holds in her hands a laurel wreath and a wand with a symbol of military valour - an iron cross, on her head is a helmet with eagle's wings. The author of the sculpture is Friedrich Drake. The people call the goddess simply - "Golden Elsa" ("Goldelse"). This nickname has stuck since the publication of the same name by E. Marlitt in the periodical magazine Die Gartenlaube.
The sculpture of the goddess Victoria, erected at the top of the Victory Column, has impressive dimensions - 8.3 meters in height, weight - 35 tons.
The Victory Column located in the heart of Berlin's huge Tiergarten park, which was once the hunting ground of the Electors and, later, the kings of Prussia. Großer Stern Square, which in German means the Big Star, in the centre of which stands the Victory Column, founded in the 18th century as the centre of the intersection of hunting roads. The Victory Column came here during the Third Reich. As part of Hitler's restructuring of Berlin into the "capital of the world Germany", the column was moved here from Kings Square in front of the Reichstag. At the same time, It is added a fourth knee to the Victory Column, and its height was 66 89 meters. Furthermore, the Großer Stern square expanded by a network of meters; in combination with Bismarck, Moltke and Roon's monuments, it was supposed to make up the Second Reich's square of honour.
To the Victory Column were built four tunnels. Even today, you can cross the area along with them, always full of rushing cars. At the foot of the Victory Column, there is an entrance to the observation deck. However, before enjoying a beautiful view of the city, the Tiergarten park, the Brandenburg Gate and Potsdamer Platz from a height of 50.66 meters, you have to climb 285 steps on foot.
On the second floor of the Victory Column pedestal, there is a circular gallery with granite columns, the reverse side decorated at the request of Kaiser Wilhelm I. A mosaic panel by Anton von Werner on the theme of the victorious march of the German army, the unification of Germany as a result of the victory over France. The mosaic is made of Venetian glass by the workshop of Antonio Salviati.
The pedestal of the Victory Column decorated with four bronze reliefs, depicting scenes of battles during the Danish, Austrian and French wars of unification, made by sculptors Karl Keil, Moritz Schultz, Albert Wolf and Alexander Caladrelli.After the end of World War II, the members of the anti-Hitler coalition decided to destroy all monuments associated with German militarism. They erected them in the period from 1914 to 1945. Opinions divided regarding the Victory Column. Formally, the memorial erected before the start of the First World War. But they worked on it and completed it, already under the Nazi regime. In addition, the column glorified the glory of German weapons, then carried a particularly negative meaning. France advocated the demolition of the Victory Column, Russia abstained, England and America left the Victory Column in place. The French could remove the bas-reliefs on the pedestals and take them away in an unknown direction.
For a long time, three bas-reliefs considered lost until they were discovered many years later by the German Foreign Ministry in the courtyard of the Army Museum in Paris. After lengthy negotiations, with the personal participation of French President Francois Mitterrand, for the 750th anniversary in 1987 of Berlin, the reliefs were solemnly erected to their original place.
Once again, the Victory Column was at the centre of all news in January 1991, when the terrorist organization Revolutionary Cells exploded at the base of the Victory statue. Fortunately, there were no casualties, only the support of the sculpture suffered.

How to get to the Victory Column
The Victory Column is located in the central district of Berlin and is easily accessible by any means of transport.
By public transport
The closest to the Victory Column is a bus stop and a metro station.
By underground (U-Bahn): Line U9 to the Hanseplatz stop.
By bus: 100,187, 106, N26 to the Großer Stern stop.
On foot
From the city centre can be comfortably walked to the Victory Column.
From the Brandenburg Gate along 17 June street, after a pleasant 20-minute walk through the Tiergarten park, you will reach the Groser Stern square with a roundabout.
By car
Please note that there is no way to park a car near the Victory Column.
Nearest parking lots:
Stadt Berlin - Free parking with 27 spaces at the intersection of Klopstockstraße and Altonaer Straße, an 18-minute walk to the Victory Column.
Parking conditions:
two hours of free parking daily around the clock,
except Friday from 8.00. until 20.00.
Lützow Center Berlin - parking in the shopping center at Lützowufer 26, Tiergarten. It is a 25-minute walk to the Victory Column.
Parking conditions:
Daily rate: Mon.-Sun. From 09.00. until 20.00 .:
30 minutes. - 0.50 euros,
additional hour - 2.00 euros,
the maximum rate is € 16.00.
Night rate: Mon-Sun from 20.00. until 09.00 .:
1 hour - € 1.00,
additional hour - 0.50 euros,
the maximum rate is 3.00 euros.
By taxi
By Uber or Berlin can be easily reached TaxiThe Victory Column