Reichstag

The Reichstag Building in Berlin. The lower legislative assembly of Germany met here until 1933, when it was severely damaged by fire. After the reunification of Germany in 1990, it was decided to make it the meeting place of parliament once again.

The Reichstag Dome, Berlin, Germany. The glass dome is the centrepiece of the building's renovation and a symbol of open government. The German chancellor Gerhard Schroeder referred to the dome in his inaugural speech when he said, ‘I want this glass dome to become a symbol for the openness and transparency of our democratic politics.’

German parliament building and lower legislative house during the German Empire 1871-1918 and Weimar Republic 1919-33. It was burned down in February 1933. Following the MPs' decision after reunification in 1991, German parliament was brought back to Berlin, and the Reichstag officially reopened in April 1999.

From June-July 1995 the building was wrapped in 93,000 sq m/1 million sq ft of silver fabric and presented as a work of art, under the title Wrapped Reichstag. The project had won government approval February 1994 after a 20-year campaign by Bulgarian-born US sculptor Christo.