Description of the attraction
One of the seven historical gates of Konigsberg (now Kaliningrad) is located at the intersection of the Lithuanian Wall and Frunze Street. The Royal Gate, created in 1850 according to the design of General E. L. von Astera, were built of red brick in a pseudo-Gothic style and resemble a small castle. There are three high reliefs on the facade of the gate: King Frederick I (the first crowned Prussian king), Duke Albrecht (reformer) and King Přemysl Otakar II (founder of the city), made by the sculptor V. L. Sturmer. Under the sculptures, installed in 1852, are the coats of arms of the three sovereigns, and over the heads of the "fathers of Koenigsberg" are the coats of arms of Sambia and Natangia (Prussian lands).
Initially, this place was the location of the Kalthof or Neue Sorge gates (translated from German - "new care"), built in 1626, later they were replaced by Gumbinnensky, built in 1717 by Russian engineers and in 1811 renamed into Royal (after the name of the street) … The name of the street (Korolevskaya), on which the gate was located, is associated with the following of the Prussian kings to the military reviews from the Konigsberg castle in the outskirts of Devau. The foundation stone of the present-day Royal Gate took place in August 1843 with the participation of noble persons and King Frederick William IV. At the end of the nineteenth century, the gate lost its military significance and functioned as a triumphal arch. In Soviet times, after several attempts to destroy this historic building, the Royal Gate was recognized as a monument of history and culture. In 2005, on the eve of the 750th anniversary of Königsberg, the gate was restored and became the symbol of the city.
Nowadays, the building of the Royal Gate houses the exposition of the Museum of the World Ocean, dedicated to the international relations of Koenigsberg and the Great Embassy. The exposition also presents material about the development of the fortified city and a film about the restoration of the gate. At the exit you can buy a souvenir - "Prussian cat", which is a kind of mascot of the city.
