Victory Column

In the heart of Berlin's Tiergarten Park, the Siegessäule (Victory Column) with its golden statue is one of the city’s major attractions.

Work on the column began in 1864. Designed by Heinrich Strack, the column was initially intended to celebrate Prussia’s victory in the Second Schleswig War against Denmark that same year. By the time the column was finished in 1873, Prussia was also celebrating victories in the Austro-Prussian War in 1866, and the Franco-Prussian War from 1870 to 1871. In the wake of those military successes, the Kingdom of Prussia successfully united Germany as an imperial power under the Prussian crown.

Rising to a height of 67 metres, the Victory Column survived the Second World War largely unscathed. In the mid-1980s, it was  restored and is now listed as a heritage site.

In the Extras you see the golden statue on the top. This figure represents Victoria, the goddess of victory, the Roman equivalent of the Greek goddess Nike.
The second extra shows the first level. No I did not climb the column today because it was starting to rain soon after I had walked there from my hotel. I headed back home, and the climb will hopefully be made on a better day.