© dpa
© dpa
New lighting for Berlin's landmark: A glowing sphere has been installed at the Brandenburg Gate.
While the lighting system at the monument will be upgraded and replaced with new LED lights in the coming weeks, the sphere will serve as temporary lighting, as a spokeswoman for the Berlin real estate management company BIM explained.
According to the report, the so-called "moon light" (German: Mondleuchte) has a diameter of 1.2 meters and was installed in the central passageway of the monument. According to reports, during the work in the coming weeks, the landmark’s regular facade lighting will be turned off and parts of the Brandenburg Gate will be cordoned off. The central passageway is expected to remain accessible during this time.
The operators had reported that the current system, installed in 2002, was becoming increasingly prone to malfunctions and that replacement parts were scarce. The new LED technology is expected to consume up to 40 percent less energy. A total of 281 lights will be replaced as part of the project. According to the information provided, the modernization of the entire system will cost approximately 1.2 million euros. The new lighting system is scheduled to go into operation in early December. However, the gate's nighttime appearance will remain unchanged. According to a spokesperson, the moonlight fixture will be repurposed elsewhere.