Alte Nationalgalerie

The Alte Nationalgalerie rises like an ancient temple in the middle of Museum Island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1999. The building went up between 1867 and 1876 to designs by Friedrich August Stüler, carried out after his death by Johann Heinrich Strack. The Corinthian colonnade on its high base blends neoclassicism with neo-Renaissance and grew out of an idea by King Friedrich Wilhelm IV. The museum opened ceremonially on March 22, 1876, with Kaiser Wilhelm I in attendance.

Inside waits one of the most important collections of 19th-century art in Germany, run by the Staatliche Museen zu Berlin. The three floors are arranged by theme: the Goethe era and Romanticism at the top, Realism and Impressionism in the middle, neoclassicism and modern sculpture below. Highlights include works by Caspar David Friedrich and Karl Friedrich Schinkel, Adolph Menzel's famous paintings of Berlin, and French masters such as Monet, Manet and Renoir, along with sculptures by Auguste Rodin.

After heavy war damage and decades of division, the building was thoroughly restored from 1992 to 2001 and reopened on December 2, 2001 as the first building on Museum Island to return. One particular draw is Johann Gottfried Schadow's famous Princesses Group. To avoid lines, aim for a weekday and combine the visit with the neighboring museums on the island. Booking a timed entry slot online is smart, since weekends get busy.