Architecture through the Ages
The Reichstag building was designed in the Neo-Renaissance style by architect Paul Wallot. The Reichstag in Berlin was built between 1884 and 1894 and originally served as the seat of the German parliament. After a devastating fire in 1933, which accelerated the rise of the National Socialists, the building was heavily damaged during World War II. During the division of Germany, it was located in the western part of Berlin and was largely unused. Until 1991, the building was only occasionally used for exhibitions. After the reunification in 1990, the Reichstag underwent extensive renovations and was reopened in 1999 as the seat of the German Bundestag. The British architect Sir Norman Foster won the international architectural competition with his modern design including a glass dome, which also became the building's landmark.