At centre, the obverse of the coin shows a view of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin - an 18th-century neoclassical monument built on the orders of Prussian king Frederick William II after the temporary restoration of order during the Batavian Revolution. One of the best-known landmarks of Germany, it was built on the site of a former city gate that marked the start of the road from Berlin to the town of Brandenburg an der Havel, which used to be the capital of the Margraviate of Brandenburg. Throughout its existence, the Brandenburg Gate was often a site for major historical events and is today considered not only as a symbol of the tumultuous history of Europe and Germany, but also of European unity and peace.
Atop the gate is a sculpture by Johann Gottfried Schadow of a quadriga - a chariot drawn by four horses - driven by Victoria, the Roman goddess of victory.
Below, in the inner circle, the date of issue: [year], beneath which a small letter represents the mint mark of the issuing mint.
In the outer ring, the twelve stars of the European Union (representing the twelve original member states). |
