Dome of the Dom

Travel is not really about leaving our homes,

But leaving our habits.

(Pick Iyer)

              

This mornings destination was the Reichstag....German parliament building. 

(Above is the top of the dome of the Reichstag)

          

The building itself is an old one and in the 1930's Hitler had his men set fire to it to prove that only he could protect the nation from thugs who would burn this symbol of democratic values.

                

After WWII and then after the unification of East and West Germany it was the plan to renovate the Reichstag and that proved controversial because of it's link to the Nazi's. But they voted and by a slim margin the government gutted the inside and redesigned it. 

           

     

This striking and beautiful dome is on the top. It symbolizes an open government with complete transparency.

And besides that, the building is a gem. Great to see, great to experience. Time and again we have experienced the forward thinking of the German Government as it continues to transform itself in Post WWII and Post Re-unification.

        

Sarah, Jana, Maike, Simon

   

               

We headed for the Dom (Church) in Berlin.

And....here is your test question: Is this magnificent 120 year old church, which was designed to look like one from an older age....is it Protestant or Roman Catholic?

I'll give you a hint.

There were four grand and glorious statues high above the main altar below....which one can see is a simple design.

          

One statue is of Martin Luther, the great Reformer.

            

The other three to his right and left are Melanchthon, Calvin and Zwingli.

Indeed, this is a Protestant church, with a look more befitting something in Rome rather than the Reformation. It's intention was to synchronize the Lutheran and Reform movements in German.

Roman Catholic Churches always have great saints above the altar or surrounding the dome or the chancel....here we have four great reformers from the Protestant Reformation.

That's a new one for me.

        

Luther's right hand man and a giant in his own right...Melanchthon.

            

We began our tour by sitting in Kaiser Wilhelm's personal box which was basically "on the 50 yard line" of the church....right where the organ would always be in such a church. But no, the Kaiser wanted that place as his own, high up facing the altar.

                     

So the 8,000 pipe pipe-organ was moved to the right side of the worship area.

(It's good to be the king/Kaiser)

                   

We got to hear the organist practicing

                

We got to gaze up to the dome.

And a few minutes later, we were walking up to the dome and outside.

           

We walked both marble and wood and steel steps on the way up, but then we arrived to this view.

              

Berlin Church overlooking the city

                       

                

 Emma takes in the sights from high above.

We met with the preacher of the Dom (church). The Rev. Thomas Müller.

                   

     

Elli & Lena

While the students spread out around the city for the afternoon, the leaders took in the Museum and an exhibition of Assyria. Stunning. (Above)

The Leaders on their own. Bob, Frank, Sharon, Andreas.

  The Alex tower....TV, radio (spy stuff I suppose since the East Germans built it in the 1960's) Also a restaurant and look out tower. 

Inside the lookout, 360 Panorama sky view dome.

         

A long day filled with Domes and Doms.

And perhaps a bit more work to be done on the O-H-I-O shout out.

Peace,   Bob