Brandenburg Gate been turned into a cobblestone pedestrian zone. The gate, along with the broad "Straße des 17. Juni" avenue to the west, is also one of the large public areas in Berlin where over a million people can gather to watch stage shows or party together, watch major sport events shown on huge screens, or see fireworks at midnight on New Year's Eve. After winning the 2014 FIFA World Cup, the German national football team held their victory rally in front of the gate. It has also hosted street events at 2009 IAAF World Championships in Athletics and will repeat its
Swedish invasion of Brandenburg (1674–75) Swedish invasion of Brandenburg (1674–75) The Swedish invasion of Brandenburg (1674–75) () involved the occupation of the undefended Margraviate of Brandenburg by a Swedish army launched from Swedish Pomerania during the period 26 December 1674 to the end of June 1675. The Swedish invasion sparked the Swedish-Brandenburg War that, following further declarations of war by European powers allied with Brandenburg, expanded into a North European conflict that did not end until 1679. The trigger for the Swedish invasion was the participation of a 20,000 strong Brandenburg Army in the Holy Roman Empire's war on France as part of the Franco-Dutch