diff --git a/docs/Changelog.md b/docs/Changelog.md
index 244406f5..3af5209c 100644
--- a/docs/Changelog.md
+++ b/docs/Changelog.md
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 - Map scaling improvements [#401](https://github.com/mapsforge/vtm/issues/401)
 - Mapsforge fix artifacts zoom > 17 [#231](https://github.com/mapsforge/vtm/issues/231)
 - vtm-theme-comparator module [#387](https://github.com/mapsforge/vtm/issues/387)
+- Internal render themes various improvements [#41](https://github.com/mapsforge/vtm/issues/41)
 - Many other minor improvements and bug fixes
 - [Solved issues](https://github.com/mapsforge/vtm/issues?q=is%3Aclosed+milestone%3A0.9.0)
 
diff --git a/vtm-themes/resources/assets/vtm/default.xml b/vtm-themes/resources/assets/vtm/default.xml
index 8d83c823..794cc739 100644
--- a/vtm-themes/resources/assets/vtm/default.xml
+++ b/vtm-themes/resources/assets/vtm/default.xml
@@ -978,18 +978,18 @@
     <m e="node" select="first">
 
         <m k="barrier">
-            <m zoom-min="10">
+            <m zoom-min="16">
                 <m v="bollard">
-                    <circle fill="#909090" radius="1.5" />
+                    <symbol src="assets:symbols/barrier/bollard.svg" />
                 </m>
                 <m v="block">
-                    <circle fill="#909090" radius="1.5" />
+                    <symbol src="assets:symbols/barrier/blocks.svg" />
                 </m>
                 <m v="gate">
-                    <circle fill="#909090" radius="1.5" />
+                    <symbol src="assets:symbols/barrier/gate.svg" />
                 </m>
                 <m v="lift_gate">
-                    <circle fill="#909090" radius="1.5" />
+                    <symbol src="assets:symbols/barrier/lift_gate.svg" />
                 </m>
             </m>
         </m>
diff --git a/vtm-themes/resources/assets/vtm/mapzen.xml b/vtm-themes/resources/assets/vtm/mapzen.xml
index b8043e94..40558651 100644
--- a/vtm-themes/resources/assets/vtm/mapzen.xml
+++ b/vtm-themes/resources/assets/vtm/mapzen.xml
@@ -975,18 +975,18 @@
     <m e="node" select="first">
 
         <m k="kind">
-            <m zoom-min="10">
+            <m zoom-min="16">
                 <m v="bollard">
-                    <circle fill="#909090" radius="1.5" />
+                    <symbol src="assets:symbols/barrier/bollard.svg" />
                 </m>
                 <m v="block">
-                    <circle fill="#909090" radius="1.5" />
+                    <symbol src="assets:symbols/barrier/blocks.svg" />
                 </m>
                 <m v="gate">
-                    <circle fill="#909090" radius="1.5" />
+                    <symbol src="assets:symbols/barrier/gate.svg" />
                 </m>
                 <m v="lift_gate">
-                    <circle fill="#909090" radius="1.5" />
+                    <symbol src="assets:symbols/barrier/lift_gate.svg" />
                 </m>
             </m>
         </m>
diff --git a/vtm-themes/resources/assets/vtm/newtron.xml b/vtm-themes/resources/assets/vtm/newtron.xml
index f4800f38..eec50da6 100644
--- a/vtm-themes/resources/assets/vtm/newtron.xml
+++ b/vtm-themes/resources/assets/vtm/newtron.xml
@@ -1131,11 +1131,14 @@
             </m>
         </m>
 
-        <m k="barrier" v="bollard">
-            <circle fill="#707070" radius="1.5" />
+        <m k="barrier">
+            <m zoom-min="16">
+                <m v="bollard">
+                    <symbol src="assets:symbols/barrier/bollard.svg" />
+                </m>
+            </m>
         </m>
 
-
         <m k="highway">
             <m v="bus_stop" zoom-min="16">
                 <symbol src="assets:symbols/dot_blue.svg" />
diff --git a/vtm-themes/resources/assets/vtm/openmaptiles.xml b/vtm-themes/resources/assets/vtm/openmaptiles.xml
index 3e339858..23405a6c 100644
--- a/vtm-themes/resources/assets/vtm/openmaptiles.xml
+++ b/vtm-themes/resources/assets/vtm/openmaptiles.xml
@@ -974,18 +974,18 @@
     <m e="node" select="first">
 
         <m k="barrier">
-            <m zoom-min="10">
+            <m zoom-min="16">
                 <m v="bollard">
-                    <circle fill="#909090" radius="1.5" />
+                    <symbol src="assets:symbols/barrier/bollard.svg" />
                 </m>
                 <m v="block">
-                    <circle fill="#909090" radius="1.5" />
+                    <symbol src="assets:symbols/barrier/blocks.svg" />
                 </m>
                 <m v="gate">
-                    <circle fill="#909090" radius="1.5" />
+                    <symbol src="assets:symbols/barrier/gate.svg" />
                 </m>
                 <m v="lift_gate">
-                    <circle fill="#909090" radius="1.5" />
+                    <symbol src="assets:symbols/barrier/lift_gate.svg" />
                 </m>
             </m>
         </m>
diff --git a/vtm-themes/resources/assets/vtm/osmagray.xml b/vtm-themes/resources/assets/vtm/osmagray.xml
index 5ade3389..d239b44b 100644
--- a/vtm-themes/resources/assets/vtm/osmagray.xml
+++ b/vtm-themes/resources/assets/vtm/osmagray.xml
@@ -1201,11 +1201,14 @@
             </m>
         </m>
 
-        <m k="barrier" v="bollard">
-            <circle fill="#707070" radius="1.5" />
+        <m k="barrier">
+            <m zoom-min="16">
+                <m v="bollard">
+                    <symbol src="assets:symbols/barrier/bollard.svg" />
+                </m>
+            </m>
         </m>
 
-
         <m k="highway">
             <m v="bus_stop" zoom-min="16">
                 <symbol src="assets:symbols/dot_blue.svg" />
diff --git a/vtm-themes/resources/assets/vtm/osmarender.xml b/vtm-themes/resources/assets/vtm/osmarender.xml
index 811729ce..1e6b2734 100644
--- a/vtm-themes/resources/assets/vtm/osmarender.xml
+++ b/vtm-themes/resources/assets/vtm/osmarender.xml
@@ -1201,11 +1201,14 @@
             </m>
         </m>
 
-        <m k="barrier" v="bollard">
-            <circle fill="#707070" radius="1.5" />
+        <m k="barrier">
+            <m zoom-min="16">
+                <m v="bollard">
+                    <symbol src="assets:symbols/barrier/bollard.svg" />
+                </m>
+            </m>
         </m>
 
-
         <m k="highway">
             <m v="bus_stop" zoom-min="16">
                 <symbol src="assets:symbols/dot_blue.svg" />
diff --git a/vtm-themes/resources/assets/vtm/tronrender.xml b/vtm-themes/resources/assets/vtm/tronrender.xml
index a4703416..2de8112c 100644
--- a/vtm-themes/resources/assets/vtm/tronrender.xml
+++ b/vtm-themes/resources/assets/vtm/tronrender.xml
@@ -1124,11 +1124,14 @@
             </m>
         </m>
 
-        <m k="barrier" v="bollard">
-            <circle fill="#707070" radius="1.5" />
+        <m k="barrier">
+            <m zoom-min="16">
+                <m v="bollard">
+                    <symbol src="assets:symbols/barrier/bollard.svg" />
+                </m>
+            </m>
         </m>
 
-
         <m k="highway">
             <m v="bus_stop" zoom-min="16">
                 <symbol src="assets:symbols/dot_blue.svg" />