Berlin

Museum Island
UNESCO-World Heritage since 1999

The world-famous Museumsinsel (Museum Island) lies between the Spree and Kupfergraben and is a unique collection of buildings housing archaeological finds and 19th century art.

Concentrated in an area of less than one square kilometre, over a period of 100 years - from 1830 to 1930 - the island in the middle of the River Spree evolved into a temple to the arts, presenting six thousand years of the history of man in five museums. It all started with the completion of the Old Museum designed by Schinkel in 1830.

The first overarching building plan for Museumsinsel was drawn up in 1841 by Friedrich August Stüler, a student of Schinkel, and his plans were used to build the New Museum in 1859 and the Old National Gallery in 1876.

In 1904 the Kaiser Friedrich Museum (now known as the Bodemuseum) was opened, and when the Pergamon Museum opened in 1930 the building work on Museumsinsel was complete. During the Second World War up to 70% of the museums were destroyed. The devastating effects of the war and the division of the city are currently being redressed with an extensive programme of rebuilding and restoration.

Route Suggestion
From Berlin-Potsdam via Wittenberg, Dessau to Eisleben