A trip through the German capital would not be complete if we did not visit one of its most famous buildings, the Reichstag. A wonderful building that was reborn from the ashes on more than one occasion and today we marvel at its incredible glass dome, which is open to the public and offers one of the best views of the city center!
The original Reichstag building was built in 1894, with a marked neo-Renaissance style, to be the seat of the young parliament during the Second German Empire. Then in 1919 it was the meeting place of the parliamentarians of the Weimar Republic and it worked until in 1933, in the height of the Nazimos, a suspicious fire ended with much of this beautiful building. Hitler, accused the communist and social-democratic opposition of the fire, and took this reason to enact laws of exception, eliminating and persecuting many political adversaries.
In the following years the parliament had rather a figurative use so that it was really Hitler himself who had the absolute power of the state. In the last days of the Second World War, the Reichstag was severely damaged by the Allied bombings and it was in its halls and basements where some of the last battles of the war were fought, between German troops and the Red Army. Until finally on April 30, 1945 the flag of the USSR waved at the top of the dome, marking the end of the war in the German capital.
The postwar days were very hard for Berliners, the Reichstag remains in ruins for several more years and in the esplanade located in front of the building, popular orchards were organized to supply food to the population. Finally, in the 70s, a large part of its structure was rebuilt, although with a somewhat sober and functional style very typical of that time, although away from the former splendor of the building.
But the true rebirth of the Reichstag came after the German reunification of 1990, the prestigious English architect Norman Foster was commissioned to rebuild it, and among the most momentous changes that were made to the building is its wonderful glass dome, which can be traversed , and was thought of as a sign of the transparency that the new German government should have.
The visit to the dome of Foster in the Reichstag, is completely free, and it is not even necessary to make long queues as in other times, since there is an early booking system, which is the only way to get tickets. The dome is open from 8 in the morning until midnight, although the last access at 21.45.
From the terrace of the parliament and its dome you can see the spectacular parliamentary and government district surrounding the Reichstag, as well as several points of interest in the city. When you enter, do not forget to take one of the free audio guides, which are available in different languages, including Spanish, and will tell you interesting Reichstag data.
Also, if you want to know more about the history of this building and visit the different rooms that compose it, we recommend you to take a guided tour through its interior. The parliament itself organizes this 90-minute tours, which are completely free and available in several languages, including Spanish. To access them you just have to complete the following online form.
