Last Day of the Republic

The Palast der Republik (Palace of the Republic) opened in 1976 as a meeting place for the East German people and an emblem of the future. The unique modern building made of distinctive golden-mirrored windows was home to not just the East German Parliament but also auditoriums, art galleries, five restaurants, concert halls, and even a bowling alley. The building's dazzling public lobby, surrounded by several tiers, was once the center of social life in East Berlin with thousands of sparkling lamps filling the open space of the lobby's grand staircase.