The Reichstag

             

    Going to the Reichstag building was so amazing. This place has seen so much history and gone through so many things to get to where it is today.  Right now the Reichstag is being used as unified Germany's parliament building! Something I learned from my professors in the prep class is that the giant glass dome at the top of the building signifies that the government is not hiding anything. The people of Germany are a part of the government and they can look in on it. I love this representation so much. Knowing this makes seeing the dome that much more cool. Inside the dome there are ramps that wrap around the entire inside, leading you to the top. It felt like these ramps were never ending. I think that this could represent how Germany may have had some bad things in the past and they are never going to forget it but they will keep marching up these never ending ramps of becoming better. Another thing I loved about this building was how the exterior of the building looked so old but the inside looked completely modern. The contrast was really amazing. 

    There is great historical importance surrounding this building. What I learned from my professors and the information on the inside of the building was that the Reichstag was the home of the German parliament. However, in 1933 the building was burned and many people suspect that this was Hitlers doing. After this fire Hitler swooped in and passed the Enabling Act which was basically when he took over. During world war 2 the Reichstag was badly damaged. After this terrible historical event the cold war started and the Berlin wall was built right next to the Richstag. This building saw so much bad in its lifetime. But it also has seen some good! In 1990 the Richstag was the place where Germany officially reunited! Furthermore, it is back to its og purpose of being the home of Germany's parliament! All of this history makes this building so important. Going here was truly a great educational experience. 

    I think that the Reichstag contributes to Berlin’s status as a cultural capital in many ways. Government is an important part of a city. In order for a city to run smoothly, it needs a good government. Having a big government building right in the city. Another thing that contributes to Berlin's status is the history behind this building. I have said this so many times but history is so important to a city. More importantly, a city that shows off their history makes it a cultural capital. Being able to look back and see what happened in order to get Berlin to where it is today is amazing. Lastly, I think the symbolism of this building is so great. Berlin kinda fell apart for a bit. The government was terrible and it caused a lot of destruction. During this time, the Reichstag was burned. This building had to be rebuilt in the same way as Germany's government did. I think all of these things contribute to the Reichstag making Berlin a cultural capital.