It’s been burned, bombed, rebuilt, buttressed by the Berlin Wall, wrapped in fabric and finally reimagined by Norman Foster as the modern seat of Germany’s parliament, the Bundestag.
Topped with a glistening glass dome, the iconic building now stands as the symbolic and architectural heart of the surrounding Federal Government District, built in the 1990s after German reunification (bundestag.de; free; 8am-midnight, last entry 9:45pm).
The Dome
Reserve a time slot online for the lift to the rooftop terrace for fabulous views and access to the glass dome. Resembling a giant glass beehive, the glistening cupola is open at the top and bottom and hovers directly above the plenary chamber, serving as a visual metaphor for political transparency.
Art in the Reichstag
Pass the wait for the lift by examining two works by Gerhard Richter in the lobby: a reproduction of his haunting Birkenau, based on photos taken by Jewish prisoners at the Nazi death camp, and Black, Red, Gold – a shimmering interpretation of the German flag.
Views from the Top
From the terrace you can easily pinpoint such sights as the House of World Cultures and the Berliner Dom or marvel at the size of Tiergarten park. Pick up a free multilingual audioguide as you exit the lift to learn more about these and other landmarks, the Reichstag itself and the workings of the German parliament. The commentary starts and stops automatically as you mosey up the dome’s ramp, which spirals around a mirror-clad cone (pure selfie gold!).
