As the days of my time here, in Berlin, started coming to an end, the group planned one final excursion to the Reichstag building. As something I have only seen very briefly, I was completely surprised by its history, attention to different styles of architecture, and construction. Before I go into detail about the building, one true interesting point about the building is the sense of security throughout the building. Entering as a group was a lot harder than if someone tried to visit individually. Secondly, in order to visit, one has to bring their Official ID (Passport) in order to get in. Once one is actually inside the building, one will notice the heavy amount of security that surrounds the landscape of the building. And even further, during the tour, the tour guide enforces that everyone in the group stay together and not wander off. In a sense, there is a strict nature within the building as a center for politics and the people of Germany, something very important to the history of Berlin and Germany as a whole.
The Reichstag, also known as Bundestag, is a historic and significant building in Berlin, Germany, constructed to house the Imperial Diet of the German Empire. It was constructed from 1884 to 1894, and housed the Diet until 1933 due to a fire. The Reichstag was involved in World War II, eventually falling into disuse. After the war, the Reichstag was left heavily ruined and graffitied with the written victories of the Red Army in the defeat of Germany during the war. In the 1960s, the ruined building was made safe from the weather and other elements. In 1990, the building in turn underwent a reconstruction led by the architect known as Norman Foster. After its completion in 1999, the Reichstag became the meeting place of the German parliament, also known as the "modern Bundestag."
In terms of its architectural styles, it features Renaissance, Postmodern, and Baroque architecture. Meanwhile, the Reichstag's Dome addition was designed in the Modern architecture style. The Reichstag dome is a glass dome, constructed on top of the rebuilt Reichstag building. Norman Foster, an architect, designed this as a means to create a symbol with the reunification of Berlin and Germany. It is very clear to see its sense of futurism and transparency with its design, to symbolize from a past of Nazism to a future with a heavier emphasis on a united, democratic Germany. From which the dome portrays characteristics of Modern Architecture in its relationship with the building, the usage of glass, and its sense of horizonticality and verticality.