Reichstag in Berlin – history, photo, description, opening hours, prices 2021, map

“German people”. These words adorn the facade of a monumental structure located in the center of the German capital. The Reichstag in Berlin is not just a place where the policy of the FRG is made. The building on the banks of the Spree River is a mirror of the country's history, a museum and a magnet that attracts millions of tourists. In 1999, the building (Reichstagsgebaeude) received the status of the most visited parliament in the world.

Meaning

The word “Reichstag” is translated from German as “the building of the state assembly.” Its history began with the creation in 1871 of the German Empire and the parliament, which included 382 deputies. Initially, the place of their meetings was the Royal Porcelain Manufactory, but already at that time the question arose of building a new building, later called the Reichstag. The parliament sat in it until 1933.

🏨 🚕 Individual transfer from the airport to the hotel and more

For over 120 years, the Reichstag has been a reflection of German history. Many fateful decisions were made here, such as the country's participation in the First World War. In October 1918, politician Philipp Scheidemann announced from one of the balconies the overthrow of the emperor and the creation of a republic. The day after German reunification, on October 4, 1990, the first symbolic meeting of the authorities of the new Germany was held in the Reichstag.

The resolution, adopted on 20 June 1991, provided for the transfer of parliament from Bonn to Berlin. Today, the restored building hosts meetings of the federal assembly twice a month, which after 1949 was called the Bundestag. Its functions are the election of the Chancellor, the control of the activities of the government, the preparation and adoption of laws.

Construction history

The history of the Reichstag began on June 9, 1884. The first stone was laid by Kaiser Wilhelm I, who rightly believed that a large building was required for the deputies of the united German Empire. The approval of the project lasted 10 years. One of the reasons for such a long period was the refusal of the diplomat Radzinsky to erect a huge building on the land that belonged to him.

Construction was completed only in 1894, during the reign of Wilhelm II. The Parliament began to work in the new premises. In July 1932, the National Socialist Party won the next election. Hermann Goering became the chairman of the federal assembly. In January of the following year, Adolf Hitler took over as chancellor, marking the end of the Weimar Republic. However, the new government was still very unstable.

1933 fire

At Hitler's request, Parliament was dissolved and new elections were postponed to March 5, 1933. Six days before the scheduled day, an event occurred that strengthened the position of the future Fuhrer. On the evening of February 27, flames lit up the sky over the Spree River. The dome was burned, but the meeting room suffered the most. In the corridors, the alleged culprit of the fire, a member of the Communist Party of Holland, Van der Lubbe, was found.

The Nazis declared the arson to be a sign of a “communist uprising”. However, modern historians agree that the act was planned by the supporters of the dictator. The provocation brought political success to the Nazis – a day after the fire, Reich President Hindenburg signed a decree restricting a number of civil rights and freedoms. The document was drafted by Hitler's coalition. The Communist Party was officially banned.

Reichstag under Hitler

In August 1934, the founder of the NSDAP awarded himself the title of Fuhrer, and a few days later – the President of the Third Reich. The Reichstag ceased to be a stronghold of Germany – the imperial chancellery and Hitler's bunker became the center of power. The giant building was used by the Nazis first as a center of anti-Semitism, and with the advent of World War II, as a base for the air force, led by Reich Minister Hermann Göring. A hospital was located in several rooms.

Despite this, for the soldiers of the Soviet army, the Reichstag was a Nazi bastion, the destruction of which symbolized the surrender of Nazi Germany. On the first day of May 1945, the red Banner of Victory was proudly raised over the roof of the House of German Parliamentarism.

Post-war state and restoration of the building

As a result of air raids of the Second World War and the subsequent assault, the structure was badly damaged. After the division of Germany, it ended up on the territory of the Federal Republic of Germany, next to the Berlin Wall. In the famine years of the post-war period, the inhabitants of the city grew potatoes on the land around the ruins of the once mighty building. In 1954, due to the danger of collapse, the dome riddled with shells was blown up, and some of the bas-reliefs were removed from the disfigured facade.

In 1956, the representatives of the German authorities for the first time started talking about the restoration of the once mighty building. The work was completed in 1972. The modernized building, which lost its dome, was used for holding historical exhibitions.

The decision on the final reconstruction was made in 1991 after the signing of a resolution on the transfer of the Bundestag from Bonn to Berlin. The architect was appointed Englishman Norman Foster. But even before the restorers started work, a spectacular event was waiting for the historical monument, organized by the married couple of artists Christo and Jean-Claude.

In June 1995, climbers wrapped the building in a special silver fabric with an area of ​​about 100,000 m2 and pulled it together with blue ropes. The two-week campaign attracted millions of people, and photographs of the “wrapped Reichstag” flew around the world. The doors of the renovated Bundestag House were opened on April 1, 1999.

Dome and wall of memory

One of the features of the architectural appearance of the modern Reichstag is a unique grandiose dome, inside of which there are two spiral staircases 230 m long. Its current appearance was created during the last restoration. The idea belonged to the architect Norman Foster.

The spherical structure is made of steel and solid sheets of ultra-hard glass. Its height is 23.5 m, its cross section is 38 m, and its weight is 1.2 thousand tons. A complex system is not only a roof, but also a light and temperature regulator for the rooms inside the building. The upper level of the glass dome is an observation deck.

In the middle is an unusual cone-shaped device of 360 mirrors that rotates at a certain angle and is controlled by a computer. They form a funnel and perform two functions: ventilation of the plenary hall and supplying it with reflected daylight.

The second visiting card of the building is the wall of memory left to the descendants by the soldiers of the Soviet Army who stormed Berlin. Many records, mostly of an obscene nature, were destroyed during the first reconstruction – in the 60s of the last century.

At the beginning of the 21st century, the question of erasing the inscriptions arose, and the deputies of the Bundestag submitted it for consideration. As a result, the overwhelming number of voters spoke out against the elimination of signs reminiscent of the crimes of Nazism against humanity. It was decided to leave the wall. For safety, its surface was treated with a transparent vitreous composition.

Architectural features

The architect of the Reichstag is Paul Wallot, one of 190 applicants who took part in the competition for the construction of the parliament building. Merits in the design of a building of national importance became the reason for assigning him the post of privy councilor for construction.

As conceived by Vallot, the main building of the country, with its massive appearance, should give the impression of absolute imperial power. Its height is 47 m, length – 137 m. The building has the shape of a square, in the corners of which rise towers decorated with allegorical sculptures. They personify the states that united in 1871 into a single Empire: Bavaria, Saxony, Württemberg and Prussia.

The architecture of the building includes elements of the Renaissance, Baroque and Classicism. The main facade is decorated in the style of an ancient Roman portal. The central entrance is decorated with six pairs of columns. In the upper part there is a portico decorated with a triumphant bas-relief depicting a scene symbolizing the unification of the kingdoms of the German Empire. The overall external massiveness is softened by steel structures, glazed rooms and decorative concrete. The building is crowned with a legendary dome.

In 1916, letters were placed on the pediment, cast from parts of Napoleonic cannons and forming the inscription “To the German people” (Dem deutschen Volke).

The Reichstag retained its old façade, but inside it acquired a modern look. The building consists of several levels, the first of which includes a 1,200 m2 plenary hall and offices for deputies and staff. Above is the territory for visitors, and above it is the level of the Federal President of Germany.

Opening hours and order of visiting

You can visit the Reichstag for free as part of an excursion group. Opening hours: daily from 8:00 to 24:00, last entry at 21:45. Access closed:

The entrance is located to the right of the famous landmark. For reasons of fire safety, only 600 people can visit the dome at the same time, and on the days of plenary and factional meetings – no more than 200. The time spent in the interior is 90 minutes.

You can use the free audio guide in Russian. Every 20 minutes, the device will inform about the surroundings of the Reichstag, the features of the work of the German Bundestag and the nearby sights of Berlin. Models for children and people with hearing impairments are available.

Access to the building is possible only after prior registration (at least two days before the intended visit) and obtaining a permit. Attention! Guests who wish to dine in the terrace restaurant do not need to register. You can reserve a table by phone + 49 030 22 62 99 33 or by mail [email protected]. Opening hours: from 9:00 to 16:30 and from 18:30 to 24:00.

For those who decide to visit spontaneously: provided that you have your original passport, you can check in at the service pavilion located next to the Reichstag on the south side of Sheidemannstrasse. Access permits are issued here for a period of two hours to two days before the visit. This service is available from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm (November to March) and from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm (April to October). The waiting time in the queue varies from 30 minutes to 2 hours.

Registration and contact information

In November 2010, the threat of a terrorist act emanating from one of the Islamist groups caused the closure of the dome and the restaurant on the terrace. The Reichstag was reopened for tourists only in the second half of 2011. The condition of the visit was the mandatory registration of guests on the official website www.bundestag.de/besucher. Visitors have the opportunity to choose the language (German, English, French, Arabic), the date and time of the visit that is convenient for them, indicating two alternative days and hours.

Booking instructions:

1. Go to the above site and select the language (default is German). Select the section “Online registration” (Online-Anmeldung), then one of the four offered excursions:

2. Enter the number of people in the group and click the weiter button (next).

3. The next page tells about the rules of visiting. Your task is to enter the captcha and click “next”.

4. Select the date, time and desired alternative (if available). Further.

5. Enter the details of the visitor or group leader (name, surname, status (Privatperson), address: street, house number, zip code, city), phone number and email address. Further.

6. Carefully check the entered information, put a cross in the section Datenshutzhinweis (agreement with the rules). Click on the “Anfrage absenden” button (send a request).

7. You will receive an email with a link that you need to follow and enter your personal data again. The confirmation of the visit is the final letter. It must be printed out and presented along with the passport at the entrance to the Reichstag.

Important! When planning a visit to the Houses of Parliament, leave backpacks and large bags at the hotel or the luggage room at the nearby train station.

Where is it located and how to get there

The building of plenary sessions is located in the center of Berlin on Republic Square (Platz der Republik). A stone's throw from it flows the river Spree dressed in granite. To visit the key German landmark, you can use public or private transport:

Address: Platz der Republik 1, 11011 Berlin. GPS coordinates: 52° 31′ 7.032″ N 13° 22′ 34.273″ E.

Reichstag in Berlin on the map