Wallruf-Richartz Museum 12th through 19th century European art. Museum Ludwig Impressionism and works by Picasso, Paul Klee , and Dali among others. Cologne Cathedral 1998 was the 750th year anniversary of Cologne Cathedral. The Cathedral was begun in the 1200's and finished according to the original plans in 1880. Great expanses of time passed when no work was advanced on the Cathedral. During World War II fourteen bombing raids pockmarked the exterior stone. Today, restoration continues. The windows date from every period, including modern. The bell in the great South Tower is known as the "Great Peter" and is the heaviest Cathedral bell in existence. Inside, the most valuable works of art include the Gero Crucifix and the reliquary Shrine of the Magi (or Three Kings). Gero Crucifix 969-976 unknown Gothic Shrine of Three Kings 1182-1199 Nicholas of Verdun Medieval Adora tion of the Magi 1440(c Lochner N. Renaissance

Berlin

The Reichstag is the seat of the German Bundestag or federal government and, with its new dome, one of the Berlin's biggest crowd-draws in Berlin. Its colorful past reflects the turbulence of German history since the 19th century. The Reichstag was constructed from 1884Ð94 by Paul Wallot, since a representative building was needed to house the parliament of the newly-founded German state. The inscription "Dem Deutschen Volke" ("To the German people") was only added in 1916 during the First World War, because Wilhelm II. had previously been against it. On 9 November 1918, the politician Philipp Scheidemann announced the establishment of the Republic from one of its windows. Part of the Reichstag was destroyed in a fire on 27 November 1933: the exact cause has never been identified, but the fire was used by the Nazis to justify their persecution of political opponents. After the war, the devastated building was rebuilt in a simplified form from 1961Ð71 to plans by Paul Baumgarten, but it was not used for parliamentary functions. The dome, which had been blown up in 1945, was not rebuilt. Inside the edifice bordering the ÈBerlin wall there was an exhibition, "Questions on German History", which is now displayed in the ÈDeutscher Dom. After reunification, the German Federal Government decided to use the building as a parliament once again. From 1994Ð99 the Reichstag was reconstructed and extended by the Architect Sir Norman Forster, taking into consideration both the immense historical implications and its function as a modern working parliament, and adding an accessible dome. Before the renovation work began in 1994, the building became the stage for one of the most spectacular art events in Europe: it was wrapped by Christo and Jeanne Claude. The glass dome, which was at first the subject of great controversy, has now become one of the newest landmarks in the city. Since 1999 the Reichstag building has once again been the seat of the German Bundestag. ~ from Berlin Tourismus Marketing GmbH~

The Brandenburg Gate at Night

The Brandenburg Gate, Berlin's only remaining city gate, is the true symbol of the city. Because it was situated in the no man's land just behind the Èast wall, it also became symbolic of the division of the city. After the Fall of the Wall, the Gate was reopened on December 22, 1989. Due to extensive renovation work, it will be covered until 2002. The sandstone construction, built from 1788-91 to plans by C.G. Langhans, has 12 Doric columns and is based on the propylaeum of the Acropolis in Athens. On both sides, six Doric columns support the 11 meter-deep transverse beam, dividing the gate into five passageways. In 1794 the building was crowned with the quadriga and goddess of victory created by Schadow, which face eastwards towards the city center. The Brandenburg Gate was surrounded by further buildings which were destroyed in the war.

Pariser Platz As part of the reconstruction of Pariser Platz, new buildings have been added which are based on their historic forebears. Pariser Platz forms the link between the Brandenburg Gate and the magnificent Unter den Linden boulevard. It was originally a parade ground before barracks were built at the end of Unter den Linden during the reign of Friedrich Wilhelm I. Noble villas, embassies and the luxurious Hotel Adlon arose around the square. The square was destroyed in the Second World War. Since the Fall of the Wall, new buildings by renowned international architects have been and are being built. The Liebermann House and the Sommer House, newly constructed to the left and right of the Brandenburg Gate, were conceived as a pair, and their design is based on the previous buildings created by StŸler. The Dresdner Bank building follows the architectural conventions of Pariser Platz closely, without degenerating into historicism. ~ from Berlin Tourismus Marketing GmbH~

Egyptian Museum Queen Nefertiti 1360 BCE(c) New Kingdom Egyptian Akhenaton 1360 BCE(c) New Kingdom Egyptian Akhenaton & Nefertiti 1360 BCE(c) New Kingdom Egyptian King Menkhare & Meritaten 1360 BCE(c) New Kingdom Egyptian

Gemaldegalerie / Tiergarten, Berlin

Italian Renaissance The Death of the Virgin 1310(c) Giotto The Virgin Adoring the Child 1459(c) Fra Fillipo Lippi Virgin and Child Enthroned with Two Johns 1484 Botticelli Venus, Mars and Cupid 1505 Piero di Cosimo The Resurrection 1479 Giovanni Bellini The Dead Christ Supported by Two Angels 1480-1485(c) Giovanni Bellini Italian Renaissance The Virgin and Sleeping Child 1466-1467 Andrea Mantegna Portrait of a Young Man 1510(c) Giorgione (?) Venus and the Organ-Player 1550-1552 Titian

Northern Renaissance Etienne Chevaliew and St. Stephen 1450(c) Jean Fouquet French Christ in the House of Simon Pharisee 1464(c) Dieric Bout Dutch The Adoration of the Magi 1470(c) Hugo VanDerGoes Flemish The Netherlandish Proverbs 1559 Pieter Bruegel Flemish Portrait of Giovanni Arnolfini 1432(c) Van Eyck Flemish The Madonna in the Church 1425(c) Van Eyck Flemish Portrait of Hieronymus Holzschuber 1526 Albrecht Durer German Three Magi Altarpiece 1507 Hans Baldung Grien German Portrait of George Gisze, Merchant 1532 Hans Holbein German Mannerism Ugolino Martelli 1535-1536 Bronzino Italian Leda and the Swan 1531-1532 Correggio Italian

Baroque Amor Victorious 1602-1603 Caravaggio Italian Malle Babbe 1629-33(c) Frans Hals Dutch Self-Portrait with Velvet Beret 1634 Rembrandt Dutch Saskia 1643 Rembrandt Dutch Portait of Hendrickje Stoffels 1649 Rembrandt Dutch Susanna and the Elders 1647 Rembrandt Dutch St. Sebastian 1618 Rubens Flemish The Parental Admonition 1654-55 ter Borch Dutch The Glass of Wine 1660-61 Vermeer Dutch Young Lady with Pearl Necklace 1660-65 Vermeer Dutch Landscape of Haarlem 1670-75 Ruisdael Dutch Rococco The Young Draughtsman 1737 Chardin French Venus and Cupid 1747 Boucher French Prince Henry Ludomirski as Fame 1789 Vigee-Lebrun French

Haus der Kunst   This historic building conformed to the Nazi desire for strict Neoclassicism in their architecture. It housed the infamous "Entartete Kunst" or "Degenerate Art" exhibit of 1937 that later traveled throughout Germany. Works of Modern artists were placed side-by-side with that of the insane in a slovenly manner meant to ridicule the modern art. Over 20,000 modern works of art were confiscated by the Nazis under the orders of Joseph Goebbels...some were sold, and the profits used to fund the Nazi war machine...most, however, were burnt. The works in this collection are representative of many of the artists who were denounced as "degenerate" by the Nazis. ~Benita Goldman~

History of the Building

Paul Ludwig Troost's plans for the "Haus der Deutschen Kunst" can be traced back to the models he made for the competition for the New Glaspalast, but never entered. His imitation of Schinkel’s Museum am Lustgarten in Berlin is already obvious in these early designs. But Troost's Neoclassical style was cruder and more monumental in keeping with the regime's intention to visualize its power.

The decision to erect a row of columns instead of pillars as Troost had intended may have been made by Hitler himself. This alteration of the facade was clearly in accordance with his pompous idea to build a "Tempel der Kunst" (temple for art).

THE PAGEANT "TWO THOUSAND YEARS OF GERMAN CULTURE"

The highlight of the opening festivities was the pageant called "Two Thousand Years of German Culture". A three kilometer long procession of groups wearing historical and elaborate costumes paraded through the inner city accompanied by marching blocks of the Wehrmacht (armed forces), SA (Sturmabteilung - Storm Troop) and SS (Schutzstaffel - Elite Guard) to demonstrate the historical and future artistic accomplishments of the "superior Aryan race" to the faithful followers. A pageant, which is traditionally very popular in the Bavarian capital, was just one of many effective means used by the National Socialists to dupe an unprecedented number of people.

Hitler personally took part in all the openings of the "Great German Art Exhibition" in the "Haus der Deutschen Kunst" until 1939. In a typically empty speech full of pathos, he proclaimed his intention to "cleanse" Germany of modern art. His conception of art and culture was to be enforced by law.

THE DEGENERATE ART EXHIBITON

Staged as a foil to the "Great German Art Exhibition", the "Exhibition of Degenerate Art" was opened on July 19, 1937 in the proximity of the "Haus der Deutschen Kunst" (today's Haus der Kunst) in a gallery in the arcaded Hofgarten. Over six-hundred art works and artists were presented in a distorted context and mocked and labeled "degenerate". Altered versions of the propaganda exhibition were shown in several German cities.

(adapted from the Official Museum Site: Haus der Kunst.

The Permanent Collection

Dresden Staatliche Gemaldegalerie   Martyrdom of St. Sebastian 1475-77 (c) Antonello da Messina Italy Sleeping Venus 1510 (c) Giorgione Italy Sistine Madonna 1513 Raphael Italy Sacrifice of Abraham 1525-1526 Andrea del Sarto Italy Madonna of St. Francis 1514-1515 Correggio Italy Madonna and Four Saints 1512-1515 Titian Italy Northern Renaissance Dresden Altarpiece 1497 (c) Durer Germany Portrait of Christine Eulenau 1534 Cranach Germany Sir Thomas Godsalve & Son 1528 Holbein Germany Juno in the Underworld 1592 (?) Breughel Flanders Baroque Empire of Flora 1631-32 Poussin France Self-Portrait w/Saskia 1634 (c) Rembrandt Dutch The Procuress 1656 Vermeer Dutch Girl Reading a Letter 1658 (c) Vermeer Dutch The Artist in His Studio 1663 van Ostade Dutch Portrait of Juan Mateos 1631-1632 Velasquez Spain Jewish Cemetary 1660 (c) Ruisdael Dutch German Romanticism Cross in the Mountains 1808 Friedrich