| The German Reichstag, almost destroyed by
a fire deliberately set by Nazi troops in 1933 and by subsequent
World War II, is once more the center of Germany's democracy.
In 1991, ten years after the German reunification, the seat
of the German parliament was transferred back from Bonn to
Berlin.
Already in the 1950s, when Germany's leaders still believed
in the fast reunification of Germany, the building was partly
renovated. During this process the Renaissance style building
was simplified. The original cupola was destroyed - for safety
measures. However, the 'Cold War' put an
end to hopes and for years the Reichstag building was situated
on West Berlin's fringes just 20 meters away from the Berlin
wall.
Today, the building is topped by a marvellous dome
of glass. This dome has become an international symbol
for a unified Germany.
In 1995, the German Reichstag was veiled for almost 2 weeks.
It took the artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude
over 20 years to get the permission for wrapping the Reichstag
and - it may be supposed - to raise the money, too. From June
25th to July 7th 1995, they could admire their achievement
- "Verhüllter Reichstag" (Wrapped Reichstag)
they called their piece of art.
Brandenburg gate lies just one block to
the south of the Reichstag building. Its 12 doric columns
mimic the Acropolis in Athens. It was commissioned by emperor
Friedrich Wilhelm II and built at the end of the 18th century
as a pompous termination of 'Unter den Linden', a boulevard
of lime trees leading up to the royal residence.
In top of the columns, the goddess of victory rides in a quadriga.
Photographed in the foreground of the New Reichstag building
this image has become an inofficial brand of Berlin.
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