How to visit the Foster Dome in the Reichstag (Berlin): book tickets

An highly recommended visit trust your tourist trip to Berlin It is the building of German Parliament, known as the Bundestag o Reichtag.

In addition to seeing the great neo-Renaissance façade of this historic building from the large meadow located in front of it, the great attraction of this visit is go up to the Reichstag terrace.

And there you can access the large glass dome designed by the prestigious architect Norman Foster.

Foster was responsible for the remodeling of the building in 1996, and in it he incorporated a large glass dome that can be visited, and from which you have panoramic views of this institutional area of Berlin.

It will be very easy for you to find the great building of the Reichstag, since it is very close to the Brandenburg Gate, next to the large park in the center of Berlin, the Zoo.

Curiosities of the history of the Reichstag Parliament in Berlin

When you are before him Reichstag, you will see a huge classical style building which contrasts with the very modern buildings of the entire parliamentary and government area.

El Reichstag It was designed by the architect Paul Wallot in neo-Renaissance style and built between 1884 and 1894, to house the Parliament of the Second German Empire.

As a curiosity, the inscription “Dem Deutschen Volke” (“To the German people”) was added in 1916, after the initial resistance of the Kaiser Wilhelm II.

A key fact in its history was when on November 9, 1918, in the middle of the German Revolution, deputy Philipp Scheidemann proclaimed from the Reichstag the Weimar Republic, marking the end of the German monarchy.

Another key moment occurred on February 27, 1933, when a fire (whose cause remains unclear) destroyed the plenary hall and part of the dome.

The Nazis used this as a pretext to eliminate civil rights and persecute their political opponents, consolidating their dictatorship.

During the Nazi regime, the building fell into disuse and was used for propaganda exhibitions and, during the Second World War, as a fortress and military hospital.

In 1945, during the Battle of Berlin, the Reichstag was the scene of intense fighting and was badly damaged.

El Red Army He captured it and the famous photograph of the Soviet flag waving over the building became a symbol of the end of Nazism.

After the end of the Second World War was seriously damaged.

As a result, the German parliament moved to Bonn and the Reichstag was left in ruins, near the line of the Berlin Wall, in an area symbolically divided between East and West.

For almost 29 years, the building was separated from the Brandenburg Gate by Berlin Wall, and in 1956 it was decided to rebuild it, but without restoring the original dome.

The building as you can see it now is due to the major renovation carried out by Norman Foster since 1995, after German reunification.

And it was not until 1999 when the Reichstag,  parliament of germany, once again had said Berlin building as its institutional headquarters.

Who is Norman Foster?

The great distinctive element of the remodeling Reichstag is its large glass dome designed by the aforementioned Norman Foster.

This Manchester-born British architect is world-renowned for his innovative and sustainable approach to modern architecture.

He has designed emblematic buildings such as the dome of the Reichstag in Berlin, the Gherkin skyscraper in London and the headquarters of Apple Park in California.

Its style is characterized by the use of steel and glass, the integration of technology, and the pursuit of energy efficiency.

He has received awards such as the Pritzker and the praemium imperiale, establishing himself as one of the most influential architects of the 21st century

With regards to Reichstag dome From the large meadow that extends along the west side of the building, where its main facade is located, you can see how it protrudes from the central part of the building.

Although in theory this large glass dome It could break with the aesthetics of a building with such classic lines, but the truth is that, from my point of view, it fits very well with its portico with large columns.

With its 23 meters high, the dome can be visited and toured inside, previously going up to the roof of the building by means of an elevator.

This is the experience of climbing and visiting Foster's dome in the Reichstag.

To climb and visit Foster's dome in the Reichstag, The Admission is free, and until not long ago to visit it it was necessary to wait in long lines, which you could only avoid by going very early.

However, currently a system of early booking, which is the only way to get the tickets to visit the Bundestag.

With the experience of our visit to the Reichstag, I can tell you that once you have the ticket, you will enter the Parliament building and take an elevator up to the dome.

What the Reichstag Dome looks like

The first impression when you see the interior of the dome is that it will be spectacular, due to its original configuration and design, with the combination of metal and glass structures.

At the base of the dome you have photos and information on the history of the Parliament building, and then you can go up the ramp that borders the interior of the dome and takes you to the top of it, enjoying spectacular panoramic views of the city of Berlin.

Once you've gone down the ramp again, you should step out onto the outdoor terrace where you can continue enjoying the panoramic views of the building before taking the elevator back down to leave.

Without a doubt, it is one of the best experiences you'll have on your trip to Berlin.

In addition to the visit on your own, you have the possibility of signing up for a Guided tour of the Bundestag Parliament  which to request it you have to complete the online form.

Reichstag visit schedules in Berlin

The  Berlin Reichstag dome visiting hours They are from 8 a.m. to midnight, with last entry at 24:21,45 p.m., and entry frequency every quarter of an hour.

How to book your free visit to the Bundestag

First of all you have to indicate the type of visit what interests you, just visit of the dome, guided tour of the Reischstag and subsequent visit of the dome dome.

If it is the first case, a box will open where you must indicate the number of people, the name, surname and year of birth of each of them, and the date and time you request.

Once you have the online entry, when the day of the visit arrives, to access the dome you must first pass through the booths located next to the main façade, to the west of the Reichstag building.

From there you will enter the building and, after taking an elevator to the roof, you will be in front of the dome.

I advise you to first take one of the free audio guides, which in different languages, including Spanish, will tell you interesting facts about the Reichstag, with voiceovers lasting about 20 minutes.

Likewise, if you are interested in delving deeper into the history of the Reichstag, or expand your knowledge about the architecture and art of the building, you have the aforementioned possibility of signing up in advance for free guided tours of the Reichstag.

You have a wide range of possible guided tours in groups, in different languages, including Spanish, which last about 90 minutes.

If what you want is this complete Complete guided tour of Parliament Bundestag and climb to the domeAfter selecting this option in the aforementioned form, you must also indicate the number of people, first and last names and a range of desired dates and times in order to facilitate accommodation in the most appropriate group.

In summary, it is essential that you request the visit of the dome, or sign up for a guided tour in Spanish.

It is the way to prevent what happened to me on the last trip I made to Berlin, when I arrived before the Reichstag and it was not possible to enter without prior request.

Note that reservations by phone are not accepted.

Now, as a last option if you are in Berlin and have not made a prior online reservation, it is now possible to go to the ticket booth at least two hours before the time you want to enter in case there is space in one of the slots.

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