Reichstag

/ ˈraɪçs.taːk / institution /

RE: DEMOCRACY, EUROPE, GERMANY, GOVERNANCE, HISTORY, POLITICS

The Reichstag is a historic and symbolic building in Berlin, Germany. It is the official home of the Bundestag, which is Germany’s federal parliament. Inside the Reichstag, elected members meet to debate laws, approve national policies, and hold the government to account.

The building has a long and dramatic history. It was completed in 1894, damaged by fire in 1933, and heavily bombed in World War II. During the Cold War, it sat largely unused because Germany was divided. After reunification in 1990, it was restored and reopened in 1999 with a striking glass dome—designed to represent transparency, openness, and a break from the past.

Visitors can walk inside the dome and even look down into the debating chamber below. This open design shows how the public can watch and take part in democracy. The Reichstag stands near the Federal Chancellery, linking it closely with the office of the Chancellor and the heart of German political life.

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