Carl Gotthard Langhans

German architect

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June 30, 2026

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Carl Gotthard Langhans was a German architect known for his work in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. He was a key figure in the development of a severe yet inventive architectural style in Berlin, influenced by both French architects and the ideals of ancient Greek architecture.

Langhans' most famous work is the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, built between 1789 and 1793. This monumental sandstone structure, inspired by the Propylaea of the Acropolis in Athens, features twelve Doric columns and five portals. It has become a powerful symbol of both the division and reunification of Germany.12

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Western architecture
Germany
…he called to Berlin were Carl Gotthard Langhans and David Gilly, who, with Heinrich Gentz, created a severe but inventive style in the 1790s that was indebted to Ledoux as well as to Johann Winckelmann’s call for a return to the spirit of ancient Greek architecture. The great early monument…
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…he called to Berlin were Carl Gotthard Langhans and David Gilly, who, with Heinrich Gentz, created a severe but inventive style in the 1790s that was indebted to Ledoux as well as to Johann Winckelmann’s call for a return to the spirit of ancient Greek architecture. The great early monument…
Read More