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Pergamon Museum

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The Pergamon Museum is a famous building in Berlin, Germany.

It sits on a special place called Museum Island. This museum is very important to history and art. It was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1999. This list honors places with amazing architecture and history. The museum shows how museums have changed over a long time. It helps us learn about many different cultures from the past.

Inside, the museum has many wonderful things to see. One part is the Middle East Museum. It shows items from Assyrian, Sumerian, and Babylonian cultures. You can see the bright Ishtar Gate and the Processional Way.

Pergamonmuseum Babylon Ischtar-Tor
Pergamonmuseum Babylon Ischtar-Tor

There is also the Pergamon Altar from the 2nd century BC. This altar has a long frieze, which is a row of carvings. It shows a struggle between gods and giants. The museum also has an Islamic Art Museum. This part moved to the south wing in 1932.

People began building this museum a long time ago. Emperor Wilhelm II ordered the building to be made. It was built between 1910 and 1930. Architects Alfred Messel and Ludwig Hoffmann helped design it. Messel started the design in 1906. After he died in 1909, his friend Ludwig Hoffmann took over. The building was made in a style called Stripped Classicism. It was built because older museums were too small. They could not hold all the new treasures being found.

Assarhaddon Berlin 012008
Assarhaddon Berlin 012008

The museum has seen many hard times. It was damaged during air attacks in the Second World War. During the fighting, many objects were moved to safe places. Some large exhibits were even walled in for protection. In 1945, the Red Army collected many loose items. Some of these objects are still in Russia today. They are kept in the Pushkin Museum or the Hermitage Museum. A treaty exists to return them to Germany. However, Russian laws have blocked this since 2003.

Today, the museum is going through a big change. It closed to visitors in October 2023. It will stay mostly closed for 14 to 20 years. This work should finish between 2037 and 2043. A part called the North Wing might reopen in 2027. The repairs are very large and cost a lot of money. One estimate said it would cost 477 million euros. These big changes will help the museum for many years. It is part of a plan to connect all the museums on the island.

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🖼️ Images & Media (4)
File:Pergamonmuseum Babylon Ischtar-Tor.jpg
Pergamonmuseum Babylon Ischtar-Tor.jpg
File:Aleppo Room - Pergamonmuseum - Berlin - Germany 2017 (4).jpg
Aleppo Room - Pergamonmuseum - Berlin -...
File:Assarhaddon Berlin 012008.jpg
Assarhaddon Berlin 012008.jpg
File:Bundesarchiv Bild 183-12947-0003, Berlin, Bodemuseum, Pergamonmuseum.jpg
Bundesarchiv Bild 183-12947-0003, Berlin,...
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