Storying Heritage

Reveals how every monument can sustain multiple, competing heritage narratives. The Brandenburg Gate is one of Germany’s most iconic heritage monuments, decorating countless postcards and guidebook covers. Topped by a quadriga—a motif of a chariot being pulled by four horses—it is an instantly recognizable symbol of Germany. But which Germany—and which heritage? As this volume shows, the Brandenburg Gate has been drawn into many different heritage stories, national, localized, and personal. Far from remaining stable over time, the monument has itself changed, sometimes upsetting established or desired narratives. How many of those who see it today know that the quadriga is a 1950s bronze replica of an original only composed of thin copper sheet, with all but one horse's head still remaining? The phrase “from the horse’s mouth” means to tell something from its original source, implying that this source is inherently the most trustworthy. But which heritage stories can or should we believe? What is authentic? Who gets to speak, and who gets to listen? The aim of this study is to introduce readers to cutting-edge perspectives on heritage by focusing on the ways in which heritage stories can be told. Common topics include the roles and ambiguities of symbolism and the Enlightenment, colonialism and nation, heritage tourism and marketing, and other-than-human actors and actions.