The wrapping of the Reichstag

A work of art dominates the Berlin skyline

The neo-Renaissance palace built in Berlin between 1884 and 1894 to house the parliament of a newly united Germany retained its function under the Weimar Republic. Damaged by fire in 1933 and allied bombing during the Second World War, the Reichstag building was restored in a modernized form in the 1960s. The division of Germany meant however that it fulfilled a predominantly aesthetic function. Recognizing the potential of the edifice as a work of art, the Bulgarian-French artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude developed an idea they called the “Wrapped Reichstag”, but they had to wait 20 years to realize it.

Between 24 June and 7 July 1995, the symbol of German national unity was completely wrapped in silver-coloured fireproof fabric held in place with ropes. International media coverage attracted five million visitors to the spectacle. Once the over-sized birthday present for the German nation had been unwrapped, workers began the task of rebuilding and repurposing the Reichstag to make it fit to house the parliament of the reunified Germany. Today, with its iconic glass dome and large plenary hall, the Reichstag is the most visited parliament building in the world.