The double-headed eagle symbol dates back to the 20th century B.C., but in German history it was first used by the Holy Roman Empire in 1250 and, when it dissolved in 1806, it became the coat of arms for the German Confederation. It signifies the emperors’ complete authority over church and state. This sandstone plate is on the façade of the Martinstor gate in Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany.
