Berlin Sights

Reichstag

#1 of 814 things to do in Berlin

#1 of 3295 things to do in Germany

5 reviews | Write a review

Good for: all - families with kids incl, interesting, historic

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Lonely Planet review for Reichstag

The quarter's historical anchor is the 1894 Reichstag, where the German parliament, the Bundestag, has been hammering out its policies since 1999. This followed a total makeover by Lord Norman Foster who preserved only the building's historical shell while adding the striking glass dome. It's well worth queuing for the lift ride to the top to take in the knock-out panorama and close-ups of the dome and the mirror-clad funnel at its centre. Queues are shortest early morning and at night. You can skip 'em altogether if you're disabled, happen to have a kid in a stroller, are on an organised tour or have reservations for the pricey restaurant on top. In these cases, proceed straight to the left entrance.

 

Traveller reviews for Reichstag (5)

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    Great overview of the city and its history

    beritn recommends this,

    Remember to book ticket in advance to avoid the queues. And listen to the audio guide - very good! Recommended!

    Good for: all - families with kids incl

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    Excellent experience which I would recommend to anyone.

    garryspringer recommends this,

    We can thoroughly recommend this experience. Getting visitors to the top floor to walk around the dome has been very well thought out, The accompanying audio guide and visual history of the building were very interesting. IT IS WORTH NOTING THAT A NEW SYSTEM IS IN PLACE NOW WHERE YOU HAVE TO EMAIL YOUR DETAILS TO THE AUTHORITIES AT LEAST TWO TO THREE DAYS IN ADVANCE OF YOUR VISIT AND THEN TAKE THEIR REPLY WITH YOUR IDENTITY CARD/PASSPORT TO THE ENTRANCE AT YOUR ALLOTTED TIME. We were caught out by this but luckily found out on our first night in Berlin and our hotel helped us out so that we could make the visit.

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    Interesting synopsis of German history

    bsusie recommends this,

    The stroll up through the glass cupola designed by Norman Foster was fascinating, and especially at the top where one can see the open air funnel that leads into the parliament below, a reminder that nature is always more powerful than men. At the base of the cupola is a round exhibition of the history of the Reichstag which is mildly interesting. Walking outside the cupola are large terraces where one can see most of Berlin. This is a grand building and well worth a visit, especially if you have a guide to show you the inner rooms as well.

    Good for: interesting, historic

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    Smart, governmental hall and tourist spot on one same place.

    yuke recommends this,

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    This is not just a parliamentary building. Tourists are free to come inside and see how the people there work. You can come into the plenary hall, where the parliament hold meetings, and listen up to the guide. She will explain almost all details about Reichstag, both the important and the useless ones. But if you don't understand German, tell the guide at the first place, because her speech is 100% in German. And don't forget to walk up to the top of the building, the part with lots of glasses around. It's a very good spot to take pictures and catch the city sceneries.

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    The Reichstag-A Must See

    laura_grace recommends this,

    Despite the queues, this is definitely worth a look. The queue is actually quite fun if there are entertainers around and when you reach the top there's great views of the city and of course Norman Foster's dome. The impressive structure is definitely worth visiting but it’s the views that make it so special. At the heart of Berlin, you get a real sense of the contrasting East and West that makes this city so unique.

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