🏛️Landmark

Reichstag Building

Name: Reichstag Building
Rating: 4.7

4.7 ·

Step inside the Reichstag Building, where 19th-century history meets modern architecture. Walk the spiral ramp through Norman Foster's glass dome, peering down into the debating chamber while taking in sweeping views over central Berlin.

✨

Reasons to go

Built in 1894 and gutted by a 1933 fire the Nazis used to justify seizing emergency powers
Survived 1945 Red Army shelling, and Soviet soldiers' graffiti is still preserved inside
Norman Foster's glass dome lets visitors spiral up a ramp directly above the debating chamber

📖

Full description

Built in 1894 and famously gutted by fire in 1933 in an event the Nazis used to justify seizing emergency powers, the Reichstag survived Soviet shelling in 1945, Red Army soldiers' graffiti is still preserved in the interior, before reunified Germany chose it as the seat of the Bundestag in the 1990s. Norman Foster's glass dome, added during that renovation, lets visitors walk a spiral ramp up through the roof, looking down into the debating chamber below as a literal symbol of government transparency, while also offering sweeping views over central Berlin.

Entry is free but requires registration well in advance, since capacity is limited and demand is high, reflected in the perfect must-see and culture scores here. It's essential for anyone interested in 20th-century history, best timed for early evening to catch the city lighting up as you exit.

📍

Address

Platz der Republik 1, 11011 Berlin, Germany · Mitte

Website

🎫

Booking

Booking required

Duration

Best time

early evening or evening

Intensity

Moderate walking

💡

Good to know

Register online well ahead of your trip, as free tickets book up fast and same-day slots are rare
bring ID matching your booking, checked at security
download the free audio guide, which explains the building's history as you ascend the dome.

💬

Reviews

Advance booking is essential even though its free. They still need to manage numbers. The visit is to the glass dome. Audio is essential so you get the full benefit of what you're seeing as you walk the spiral walkway up to the top of the dome. Also step outside onto the roof for wind-in-your-hair views.

Steve Morgan

2/5

📍 Nearby spots