Translation of brace in Spanish

In the end we went up to the tower. We have never climbed so steep stairs ever before and once up we were really afraid to go down. There were no safety installation at this tower.
I understand that you use the article 'die' when talking about a feminine object, das when the subject is neutral, and der when talking about a masculine object. But how can you remember all these?
The counter opened 45 minutes before take-off, and we really had to beg the ground personal to check for another seat. They were friendly, but nonetheless we felt that they would do us a favor.