Reservations Required for Reichstag Dome
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| The dome's security measures were tightened after Rick Steves' Germany 2011 guidebook went to press, catching travelers off-guard. |
Spontaneity is now verboten at one of Berlin's top attractions
By Cameron Hewitt
One of Berlin's top sights is its Reichstag building. The historic home of the German parliament, it became engulfed in a 1933 fire (giving rise to Hitler), was further damaged in World War II (during Hitler's last stand), and wound up in the no-man's land of the Berlin Wall during the Cold War (within earshot, Ronald Reagan said, "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall."). After the Wall came down, the Reichstag was completely restored and topped with Lord Norman Foster's gorgeous glass dome. With a ramp spiraling up to the top of the dome — offering panoramic views of the city — the Reichstag is one of Berlin's top attractions.
Unfortunately, getting into that dome has recently become much more complicated. For years, visitors could simply show up and wait in line. But in recent months, authorities have decided that having a long line of people next to such a high-profile building made it a potential target for terrorists. As a precaution, they've been experimenting with different ways of limiting visitor access to the dome.
While the specifics are likely to change, as of my last visit in May of 2011, a visit to the dome is possible only if you reserve in advance on the Reichstag's website (instructions below). Reservations book up several days in advance (likely up to two weeks in the busiest summer months).
You can only reserve online. Both the reservation and the visit are free, but, unfortunately, the website is only in German. (If you use the Google Chrome browser, you can translate all of the instructions with one click.) Go to www.bundestag.de/besuche/besucherdienst/index.jsp. First select Besuch der Reichstagskuppel. Then, under Terminwunsch, click on the box next to Datum to select the date (day/month/year) and time you would like to visit (fill in alternate date/times in the Alternativtermin fields, in case your first choice is already booked up). The Bemerkungen / Angaben zu Teilnehmern field is for special notes (such as wheelchair access), and Teilnehmerzahl is the number of people in your party. Click Weiter, and — if your time is available — you'll have the opportunity to fill in your Anrede (Herr = Mr., Frau = Ms.), Vorname (first name), Nachname (last name), Status (check Privatperson), Telefon, and E-mail. (The address fields — Strasse/Street, PLZ/zip code, and Ort/Town — are optional.) Once this is all filled out, click Weiter, then enter your Geburtsdatum (birth date: day.month.year), Vorname (first name), and Nachname (last name), then click Teilnehmer hinzufügen to enter the information for the next person in your party. When all are entered, click Weiter again. On the Ihr Besuchswunsch - Übersicht page, you'll have one last chance to review your details; click the first box to acknowledge that you understand their strict privacy policy (Datenschutzhinweis), and the second box to request an email confirmation of your reservation. To request a reservation, click Anfrage absenden and wait for the confirmation email.
It's also possible to email your request directly to kuppelbesuch@bundestag.de.
Another option is to reserve a table at the Dachgarten rooftop restaurant; unfortunately, those slots book up even earlier than the regular dome visits — up to two or three months ahead during peak season (€15-24 lunches, €17-30 dinners, outside of meal times you can reserve a table for just a coffee, daily 9:30–16:30 & 18:30–24:00, for reservations call 030/2262-9933, kaeferreservierung.berlin@feinkost-kaefer.de).
Once you have a reservation, you can simply report to the attendants at the security checkpoint at the appointed time. Give them your name, and they'll let you right in.
If you're in town without a reservation, it's possible (but unlikely) that the attendants could let you in if you just show up and ask nicely when it's not too crowded. (But don't count on it.)
No matter how you get into the dome, it's worth it to ascend this living symbol of Germany's tumultuous history and optimistic future.