PERGAMONMUSEUM - PERGAMON MUSEUM

Founded in 1930, following excavations in Olympia, Pergamon, Samos and other ancient sites, the Pergamonmuseum is today considered one of the most important archaeological museums in the world.

The Pergamon altar, a mythical work of Hellenistic art, is at the centre of the complex. All around, frescoes represent the final battle between gods and giants and give a gigantic aspect of the nature of this marvel of Greek architecture. On the left, one can discover spectacular pieces of Greek art with huge Ionic, Doric and Corinthian columns exhibited in adjoining rooms, as well as beautiful statues dating from the ^5th century BC to the 4th century AD, copies of Greek statues as well as Roman sculptures. This room is undergoing renovations and is scheduled to reopen in 2023.

The collection of Near Eastern art (Vorderasiatisches Museum) presents numerous pieces brought back by German archaeologists from Syria, Turkey and Iraq. In 14 rooms, it covers the areas of influence of Babylon and Assyria. There were so many German archaeologists in the region that the Pergamonmuseum today, together with the Louvre and the British Museum, has the largest collection of art from the Middle East.

One of the major works is the Royal Processional Way, the Gate of Ishtar and the throne facade of King Nebuchadnezzar I dating from the Babylonian period. The ensemble was reconstructed thanks to the hundreds of pieces found. Another room is entirely dedicated to Babylon. Here you will find more information about this mythical city, as well as many documents, jewels and handicrafts. In the center of the room, a detailed model gives an idea of the topography of the legendary city.

Another impressive piece is the Millet Market Gate, which gives an idea of the refinement of art in ancient Asia Minor. The collection of objects from the Middle East does not stop there, however: visit the reconstructions of the temples and palaces of Assyria, the tombs of the world's oldest city, Uruk, as well as the architectural jewels of ancient Iran.

The Museum of Islamic Art, on the first floor, has objects from the 8th to the 19th century and includes pieces of Umayyad, Abbasid, Almoravid, Safavid, Mogul and Ottoman art. The spearhead of this part of the museum was a gift from a Turkish sultan to the German Emperor, not least the façade of the citadel of Mshatta. The German imperial family seems to have taken an interest in this art, as over the years many pieces and carpets were added. With the bombardments, many treasures unfortunately disappeared in the flames, among others, part of the gate of Mshatta. Today, the collection counts several thousand pieces, coming from a very vast area that stretches from Spain to India, but whose strong points are the arts of the Near East, including Egypt and Iran. Moving in today's context, the sumptuous Aleppo Room (Aleppo Zimmer) is a 17th-century Syrian vestige, a reception room made entirely of red wood painted with scenes from the Bible.

The plastic arts are present thanks to the Louis Henri de Polier collection, with illuminations and miniatures of books, remarkable pieces of Indo-Persian art.