Pergamon Museum Berlin - Germany

The Museum Island

The Pergamon Museum is part of the museum ensemble on the Museum Island in Berlin. Original initiator of this unique art collection was King Frederick William III of Prussia. In 1810, he issued the instruction to create a public art collection here.

However, this museum scene gained in importance by Wilhelm of Bode under Emperor Wilhelm II, when Bode 1890 became a president of the Royal Museums in Berlin. Bode excellently understood to gather and coordinate private collectors and patrons so that an influential art scene emerged in Berlin. By his activity, the Berlin museums became one of the most important museum complexes worldwide. Today you can visit the Old and New Museum, the Pergamon Museum, the Old National Gallery and the Bode Museum on the island. From 2017, the James Simon Gallery will be added. It will serve at the same time as central entrance building of the Museum Island.

In the Pergamon Museum

architecture and Greek and Roman sculptures are exhibited. Furthermore it contains the Near Eastern museum with 6000 years history, art and culture and the Museum for Islamic Art from the 8th to 19th century.

Unfortunately we could not see the best known exhibit, the Pergamon Altar. It is not accessible due to renovation work until 2019. In turn this is a reason to visit the museum after 2019.

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However, we were compensated by the Ishtar Gate with its Processional Way, the Market Gate of Miletus and the Mshatta facade, and many other sculptures, jewelry, carpets, vases and chests, as well as a myriad of decorative items and wall decorations.

The Ishtar Gate has been built up a little smaller than the original in Babylon, but the original size would have blown up all dimensions in Berlin. Anyway the sight is so indescribable. The Market Gate of Miletus can be seen in a displayed model of the cityscape of Miletus, so that you get a good idea of its former surroundings.

The Mshatta facade was part of a palace, 30 km south of the Jordanian capital Amman, which remained unfinished after the murder of Caliph Al-Walid II. Later it was destroyed by an earthquake. The palace had an inner side length of 144 m, of which today about 33 m with a height of 5 m and 2 gate towers were set up.

Particularly noteworthy is the Aleppo Room with its paneling from the 17th century.

We were fascinated by all these exhibits, which led us back to the cradle of our own culture. It is definitely worth to visit the Pergamon Museum again.