The Reichstag

History: The Reichstag was originally constructed between 1884 and 1894 by architect Paul Wallot to house the German parliament. The words “Dem Deutschen Volke” were added to the facade in 1916, symbolizing that the German government serves the people. After the First World War, it was the site where Philip Scheidemann proclaimed the Weimar Republic, which marked the end of the German monarchy. During the Weimar Republic, it served as the German parliament building. A fire damaged the Reichstag in 1933. The Nazis blamed the Communists for the fire to justify suspending liberties.

An image of the Reichstag fire.

The Reichstag was not used by the Nazi regime, and often was bombed by the Allies, heavily damaging the building. After the war, the Reichstag was neglected in West Berlin. Partial restoration occurred in the 1950s and 60s, which removed the original dome. During this time, the Reichstag was mainly used for exhibitions. In 1990, the Reichstag was the site of the official German reunification ceremony. After reunification, the German government returned to Berlin. Because of this, the Reichstag was renovated by Sir Norman Foster, who added the glass dome. The project was finished in 1999. The glass dome was built to symbolize the transparency of the German government.

The glass dome of the Reichstag.

The Reichstag is now the seat of the German Bundestag, the parliament of Germany. Today, the Reichstag is a popular destination, where you can tour the famous glass dome.

An image of the Reichstag today.

My Visit: When I arrived at the Reichstag, I entered security. From there, I entered the building and took the elevator to the glass dome. Notably, the actual building isn’t accessible by tourists, but the roof is. When I reached the roof, I noticed the giant glass dome.

The inside of the glass dome.

I climbed the inside of the dome, and looked out. The view was amazing, as I was able to see the whole city of Berlin. After that, I climbed down and walked on the roof.

Me, on the roof of the Reichstag.

While at the Reichstag, I thought about its history. From a parliament building meant to house the Imperial parliament, through heavy bombing, it has survived to the modern day. After around half an hour, I decided to take the elevator back down and end Day 2. If you are going, I recommend you obtain a ticket a day before, as the tickets can run out easily.

Photo Gallery:

The top of the glass dome on the Reichstag.

The swirling stairs leading to the top of the glass dome.