Located just one block from the Brandenburg Gate, the building known as the “Reichstag” was originally constructed to house the “Imperial Diet” (or Parliament) of the German Empire (1871 to 1918). Its name - “Reichstag” - itself, dates back to the Holy Roman Empire, but had not been used to refer to the members of parliament since World War II, but rather to just the building itself. “Bundestag” is now the term used for those politicians who represent the government.
Prior to 1871, parliament had been meeting in several buildings throughout Berlin, all considered too small. So, in 1872, an architectural competition was held to design a new building. The site chosen for the new parliament building originally housed the palace of a Polish-Prussian aristocrat. However, construction did not begin for ten years because of problems with the purchase of the land. The model for the winning design was reportedly based on Philadelphia’s Memorial Hall (the main building of the 1876 Centennial Exhibition).
The words “Dem Deutschen Volke” (“To the German People”) were inscribed on the building’s facade in 1916, much to the displeasure of Wilhelmi II because of its democratic symbolism. Following Wirld War I, and the end of the German monarchy, the building became the seat of the Weimar Republic until 1933, when a suspicious fire on February 27, destroyed a large portion of the building. With the rise of the Third Reich, the Nazi Party suspended most of the rights of the Weimar Constitution. As a result, parliament surrendered its power to Hitler and the building was used for propaganda purposes. During World War II, the Allies targeted the building, leaving it heavily damaged. Throughout the Cold War, the Reichstag was physically located within West Berlin, but only a few feet from the East Berlin border.
Between 1961 and 1964, the building was the scene for the official “Reunification of Germany” ceremony. Today, the building is the second most visited attraction in the country. Its iconic glass dome, the only part of the building open for public tours (at least when we were there), offers a 369 degree view of Berlin.
Prior to 1871, parliament had been meeting in several buildings throughout Berlin, all considered too small. So, in 1872, an architectural competition was held to design a new building. The site chosen for the new parliament building originally housed the palace of a Polish-Prussian aristocrat. However, construction did not begin for ten years because of problems with the purchase of the land. The model for the winning design was reportedly based on Philadelphia’s Memorial Hall (the main building of the 1876 Centennial Exhibition).
The words “Dem Deutschen Volke” (“To the German People”) were inscribed on the building’s facade in 1916, much to the displeasure of Wilhelmi II because of its democratic symbolism. Following Wirld War I, and the end of the German monarchy, the building became the seat of the Weimar Republic until 1933, when a suspicious fire on February 27, destroyed a large portion of the building. With the rise of the Third Reich, the Nazi Party suspended most of the rights of the Weimar Constitution. As a result, parliament surrendered its power to Hitler and the building was used for propaganda purposes. During World War II, the Allies targeted the building, leaving it heavily damaged. Throughout the Cold War, the Reichstag was physically located within West Berlin, but only a few feet from the East Berlin border.
Between 1961 and 1964, the building was the scene for the official “Reunification of Germany” ceremony. Today, the building is the second most visited attraction in the country. Its iconic glass dome, the only part of the building open for public tours (at least when we were there), offers a 369 degree view of Berlin.
The Reichstag is the official seat of the government for Germany, while the Bundestag is the name used for parliament.
Archival image of the Reichstag as it appeared in 1900 (in the right-side foreground is the Victory Column, built to commemorate the Prussian victory during the Danish-Prussian war.
Targeted by Allied bombs during World War II, the Reichstag was heavily damaged ( as seen in this photo taken after Berlin was liberated).
Reichstag’s glass dome, designed by architect Norman Foster, was built to symbolize the reunification of Germany.
The mirrored cone in the middle of the dome directs sunlight into the meeting chamber below. Symbolically, the dome indicates that the people are above the government.
Standing around the mirrored cone, visitors can look down into the main meeting chamber.
Visitors walking around the apex of the dome get a 360 degree view of Berlin.
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