Visit the Glass Dome of the Reichstag
Excerpt from the book Single White Female Backpacker from the Teresa the Traveler Series.
Afterwards, Christine and I walked to the Reichstag – the remarkable building that housed the German parliament between 1894 and 1933 before it was damaged by a fire which was allegedly set by Dutch Communist Marinus van der Lubbe who was beheaded for the crime. The Nazi’s used this opportunity to get rid of the traitors and ban the German Communist Party leaving the building in ruins during World War II. When the Berlin wall was constructed, it ended up in West Berlin near the border with East Berlin but still no efforts were made to restore it.
Afterwards, Christine and I walked to the Reichstag – the remarkable building that housed the German parliament between 1894 and 1933 before it was damaged by a fire which was allegedly set by Dutch Communist Marinus van der Lubbe who was beheaded for the crime. The Nazi’s used this opportunity to get rid of the traitors and ban the German Communist Party leaving the building in ruins during World War II. When the Berlin wall was constructed, it ended up in West Berlin near the border with East Berlin but still no efforts were made to restore it.
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The Reichstag was back in the limelight on September 9th 1948, during the Berlin Blockade, when a large group of West Berliners assembled in front of it to hear Mayor Ernst Reuter deliver his famous speech that ended with “People of the world, look upon this city!” He was speaking out against the Soviets who had cut off railroad and street access to West Berlin thinking that if the Allies could no longer supply them, they would turn to the Soviets for help.
In response to Soviet shenanigans, the Allies formed the Berlin Airlift launching the largest air supply mission ever attempted shipping more supplies by air than they ever had by rail. The Soviets, a wee bit embarrassed at their failed ploy, lifted the blockade and went back to the drawing board. On October 3rd 1990, the official German reunification ceremony was held at the Reichstag and the following day the parliament held a symbolic assembly in the still decrepit building. By April of 1999, renovations to the Reichstag were complete and the building was again ready to house parliament. The new environmentally friendly building was modernized to include the Reichstag dome. Designed by architect Norman Foster, the dome symbolizes the reunification of Germany. The funky looking mirrored cone in the center, that resembles a tornado, uses daylight to effectively decrease carbon emissions. The spiral walking ramp that winds its way up the perimeter of the glassed dome offers visitors a spectacular 360 degree view of the Berlin cityscape. The Dome, which is free to visit, is open to the public from 8am to 10pm. The line-up was already huge by the time Christine and I got there so we didn’t bother going in. Instead we walked across the river to the main train station so Christine could buy a return ticket home. We walked around town a bit more before Christine escorted me back to the hotel, grabbed her suitcase and left to catch the train. I was sad to see my friend leave but happy to go to bed early and get some much needed sleep. The next morning I walked back to the Reichstag first thing in the morning, determined to beat the line-up. I arrived at around 9 am and already a small line was forming. After a 30-minute wait, a group of us were brought into a holding area where we had to pass through a security check much like at an airport. Once we passed security, we were ushered onto an elevator and brought to the top of the Reichstag. How cool it that? I was standing on top of the Reichstag. When I was growing up and seeing images of Berlin during the Cold War in the papers and magazines, I never imagined that one day the city would be at peace and I would be admiring it from the top of their parliament building. I was reminded me of a sign posted in Iraq that read “This too will pass”. If Germany can find peace maybe there is still hope for the Middle East. I walked out onto the roof and attempted to take view pictures of the city through the thick rain and fog. There I met a girl from Alaska who was living and working in Berlin for the next six months so she could learn to speak fluent German. It sounded like she was having the time of her life making me wish I could live and work in Europe as well. was gazing over the beautiful city and savouring the moment, I noticed the entrance to a roof top restaurant and contemplated stopping for breakfast for some delicious food. Then I looked at the prices and decided to find something on the street to stop the rumbling in my tummy. Traveling on a budget does require certain sacrifices. It was November and the weather was a bit chilly so when the wind stated to pick up I decided it was time to go back inside and walk up the ramp that spiraled the inside perimeter of the glass dome. When I reached the top I was rewarded with the best view of Berlin ever. On my way down, I noticed a group of people looking into the bottom of the large mirrored cone that dominated the center of the room. I went over to investigate and discovered they were watching the Bundestag in the having a debate in their chamber. How cool is that? Germany went from being a repressive dictatorship to a democracy where everyone can literally see what their politicians are up to. For tips on visiting Europe CLICK HERE
For general travel tips on what to pack and how to plan ahead CLICK HERE For tips on travelling on a budget CLICK HERE |
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Where I Stayed...
Etap Hotel ET Berlin Potsdamer Platz Anhalter Street 6 10963 Berlin, Germany Tel:(030) 2576770 Single €48-€55 Euros (2008 prices) www.etaphotel.com Comfortable rooms with T-Mobile wireless internet and breakfast optional. Within walking distance of Checkpoint Charlie, Brandenburger Gate and the Reichstag. |
How to Get There - Berlin has an international airport
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