The building of the Reichstag is one of the symbols of today's Berlin. Firstly, this is one of the important links of the centuries-old history of this city and of Germany as a whole. Secondly, the Reichstag architecture, built in the style of neo-Renaissance and restored in a completely unique way, is noteworthy.
History of the Reichstag
This construction arose even under Kaiser Wilhelm I, who laid his first stone in 1884. In order to transfer the parliament of that time to the new capital of the united Germany, Berlin, an impressive building was built. The construction of the project Paul Vallot lasted for 10 years, and was completed already during the reign of William II.
In 1933, the building suffered from a fire, which was the reason for the seizure of power by the Nazis. The change in the ruling tops of the country led to the fact that after the burning of the Reichstag, the German parliament stopped assembling in a damaged building. In subsequent years, the Reichstag was used for ideological propaganda of Nazism, and then - for military needs.
The battle for the capital of Nazi Germany in April 1945 left a big mark in world history. The battle of the banner of Victory over the Reichstag took place after the defeated Berlin was stormed by Soviet troops. However, the question of who still put the flag on the Reichstag is controversial. First, on April 30, the red flag was planted by the Red Army soldiers R. Koshkarbayev and G. Bulatov, and on the next day, on May 1, the banner of Victory was established at the top of the building by three Soviet soldiers - the famous A. Berest, M. Kantaria and M. Egorov. By the way, there is even a modern computer game on military themes, which is called "The Road to the Reichstag".
When the Reichstag was taken, many Soviet soldiers left there memorable inscriptions, often even obscene. During the reconstruction of the building in the 1990s, it was for a long time decided whether to preserve them or not, because these graffiti are also part of history. As a result of lengthy discussions, it was decided to leave 159 of them, and inscriptions of obscene and racist nature to remove. Today you can see the so-called Memory Wall by visiting the Reichstag with a guide. In addition to the inscriptions, on the gables of the Reichstag building in Berlin are also traces of bullets.
In the 60s the building was restored and for a while it turned into a German historical museum.
Berlin Reichstag today
Modern reconstruction of the Reichstag ended in 1999, when it was solemnly opened for the work of the parliament. Now this building pleases the look of tourists with its extraordinary appearance. Inside the building has changed beyond recognition: the first floor is occupied by the secretariat of the parliament, the second floor is the hall of plenary sessions, and the third is intended for visitors. Above it are two more levels - the presidium and the factional. A crown of the restored building of the Reichstag is a large glass dome, from the terrace of which a grandiose view of the city opens. At the same time, according to the Norman Foster draft, the original architecture of the Bundestag is preserved, for which the architect himself was awarded the Pritzker Prize.
You can see all this beauty with your own eyes by enrolling on an excursion to the Reichstag in Berlin by mail, fax or on the official website of the German Bundestag. To do this, send an application containing your name, surname and date of birth. Recording is carried out for every 15 minutes (no more than 25 visitors at a time). As a rule, getting into the Reichstag is not a problem.
Visiting the Reichstag for free, the building is open daily from 8 to 24 hours.
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