Nauener Tor
The Nauen Gate is one of the three remaining city gates of Potsdam. It was built in 1754/55 and is considered the first Gothic Revival style building on the European continent.
1722 the first Nauen Gate was about 400 meters away from the present site built as one of the five located in the city wall gates during the so-called I. Baroque city expansion. 1733 arose during the Baroque II expansion of the city a new gate 20 meters from the present site. 1754/55, ie 20 years before the actual beginning of the Gothic Revival on the Continent, was created from a sketch of Frederick II by the architect Johann Gottfried Büring with the Nauen Gate in Potsdam an architecture in Gothic style. 1867-69 this gate was rebuilt by King William I in its present form.
Looking for a concrete, copied template one is not found it. The frequently cited example of Inveraray Castle in Scotland is excluded according to the latest research, as it had no cone roofs in its original form. Only after a fire in 1877, the Inveraray Castle Castle were added new architectural elements in the repair work (original built in 1457 ) so the corner towers were, for example, only now the cone helmets. More concrete and is the characteristic shape of the Nauen gate, however, to find in a previously unsuspected place for which no doubt is the fact that he was Frederick certainly known: For the first issue of his own literary works of the king 1750 illustrations by the eminent engraver Georg -Friedrich Schmidt customize. The vignette for " Eloge de Jordan" the third volume in the background shows a colonnaded city wall, which is interrupted by one of round towers flanked with pointed helmets goal. Probably Frederick II also has the similarity with the towers of the castle Rheinberg inspired, in which he spent his time as Crown Prince, and the time he described his life as the most beautiful.
Originally a city wall joined the Nauen Gate with the other two gates, the Jagertor and the Brandenburg Gate on Luis course. Instead of the city wall was not received today a promenade connects the three remaining Potsdamer city gates. The Nauen Gate is located in close proximity to the Dutch Quarter. Its users were the military and merchants, craftsmen and administrations to the restaurant. The square in front of the Nauen Gate since the last renovation of the door and a new transportation network in 1996 with the high density of cafes, restaurants and bars, a favorite haunt of Potsdam and their guests. Tram tracks run directly through the Nauen Gate.