Victory Column
On Gingerguide's self-guided Berlin audio tour, Victory Column is a stop worth about ~45 min. Stand in front of it, press play for a short narrated story, and put any follow-up question to the built-in AI guide.
- Type monument
- Suggested visit ~45 min
- Berlin Berlin guide
About Victory Column
A 67-metre golden column topped by the winged goddess Victoria, 'Goldelse', at the heart of the Tiergarten, offering panoramic views of Berlin from its viewing platform after 285 steps.
The Victory Column, Siegessäule, is one of Berlin's most recognisable landmarks, standing 67 metres tall at the centre of the Tiergarten's Great Star roundabout. It was originally erected in 1873 in front of the Reichstag to commemorate Prussia's victories in the Wars of Unification, against Denmark in 1864, Austria in 1866, and France in 1870-71. The three drums of red granite at the column's base are made from captured enemy cannons from each of the three wars. Adolf Hitler relocated the column to its current position in 1939 and added a fourth drum to increase its height as part of his megalomaniacal plans to redesign Berlin as 'Germania.' The golden Victoria at the top, affectionately known as 'Goldelse' (Golden Lizzy) by Berliners, is 8.3 metres tall. A viewing platform inside the gilded drum offers panoramic 360-degree views. Barack Obama delivered a famous speech here to 200,000 people in 2008.
Did you know? Hitler had the column moved 1.5 km westward and a fourth drum added in 1939, increasing its height from 51 to 67 metres as part of his 'Germania' megalomaniacal redesign of Berlin.
How much time do you need at Victory Column?
Around ~45 min works well for Victory Column — time to look properly and listen to its story on the spot. Linger if you like; nothing on a self-guided walk is on a clock.
Should you stop at Victory Column?
Yes — Victory Column made the cut as one of 43 places the Gingerguide team researched and narrated across Berlin. The story tells you why it is worth the stop, and the AI guide fills in anything you still wonder.
Nearby stops in Berlin
Hear the story of Victory Column
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