The glass dome
A spiral ramp climbing inside the dome, with a full circle of views over Berlin.
Jörg Braukmann — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Anil Öztas — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Matthias Süßen — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Matthias Süßen — CC BY-SA 4.0
The Reichstag is the seat of the German parliament and one of Berlin's most important buildings. It was built in 1894 and burned in 1933, an event the Nazis used as a pretext to tighten their grip on power. It stood ruined for many years; after reunification the British architect Norman Foster restored it and added a large glass dome, and parliament returned in 1999. The glass dome is why people come. A spiral ramp takes you to the top, with Berlin spread out on every side. Directly beneath it is the parliamentary chamber, which you look down into — and the idea is deliberate: the people stand above their representatives, not below them. Entry is completely free, but registering in advance is compulsory.
A spiral ramp climbing inside the dome, with a full circle of views over Berlin.
An opening in the dome floor looks straight down into the debating chamber — a deliberate symbol of popular sovereignty.
Writing left by Soviet soldiers in 1945 survives inside, deliberately preserved during the restoration.
Platz der Republik 1, 11011 Berlin
Platz der RepublikPlatz der Republik is the wide green lawn stretching in front of the Reichstag. 3 minutes walk4.7
Brandenburg GateThe Brandenburg Gate is the landmark the whole of Berlin is reduced to. Carl Got4 minutes walk4.6
SpreebogenparkA public park on the bend of the Spree directly behind the Reichstag, in the hea6 minutes walk4.4
Berlin Museum of Medical HistoryThe Museum of Medical History at the Charité hospital is built on a collection a7 minutes walk4.7
Futurium — House of FuturesThe Futurium is a museum of a single question: how do we want to live? No antiqu7 minutes walk4.5Through the official Bundestag website: choose a date and time and enter every visitor's name exactly as it appears in their passport. Book at least a week ahead in the travel season. You will get a confirmation to print or keep on your phone.
Yes, entirely — there is no charge for the dome or the audio guide. Any site selling you a Reichstag "ticket" is a reseller charging for something already free, usually as part of a paid tour.
About an hour for the dome with the audio guide, which explains what you see as you climb. Add time for security. It is ten minutes' walk from the Brandenburg Gate, so combine the two.