Reichstag

The Reichstag building was built as the seat of the Reichstag, the original parliament of the German Empire. At present, the building houses the seat of the Federal Assembly, and since 1994, the Federal Assembly, which elects the President of the Federal Republic of Germany, has been held here every five years. The building was originally opened in 1894 and served until 1933, when the building was intentionally set on fire for which Dutch communist Marin van der Lubbe was accused. This event is known as the Reichstag Fire. The building was further destroyed by Soviet troops during the Battle of Berlin in 1945.

 

After the division of Germany, the building found itself in the territory of West Berlin very close to the border. It was decided to repair it only in 1956. It was carried out in 1961-1964. During the Cold War, the building was used only for a representative meeting and an exhibition on the history of Germany. Following the decision to return the seat of the Bundestag to Berlin, an architectural competition was announced in 1992 for the reconstruction of the building, which was won by architect Norman Foster. The actual reconstruction took place in the years 1995-1999 and is considered successful. The biggest visual change is the new dome, which also serves as a lookout.