PERGAMONMUSEUM - PERGAMON MUSEUM

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

ThePergamon Altar, a mythical work of Hellenistic art, is at the center of the complex. All around it, frescoes depict the final battle between the gods and the giants, giving a gigantic view of the nature of this marvel of Greek architecture. To the left are spectacular pieces of Greek art, with huge Ionic, Doric and Corinthian columns displayed in adjoining rooms, as well as beautiful statues dating from the^5th century BC to the ^4th century AD, copies of Greek statues and Roman sculptures. This room has recently been renovated.

TheNear Eastern Art Collection (Vorderasiatisches Museum) features numerous pieces brought back by German archaeologists, notably from Syria, Turkey and Iraq. Over 14 rooms, it covers the areas of influence of Babylon and Assyria. German archaeologists were so numerous in the region that the Pergamonmuseum now boasts, alongside the Louvre and the British Museum, the most important collection of art from the Middle East.

One of the major works is the royal processional way, the Ishtar Gate and the throne facade of King Nebuchadnezzar ^I, dating from the BaBylonian period. The whole has been reconstructed from hundreds of pieces found. Another room is devoted entirely to Babylon. Here you'll find more information on this mythical city, as well as numerous documents, jewelry and handicrafts. In the center of the room, a detailed model gives an idea of the legendary city's topography.

Another impressive piece, Millet's Market Gate, gives an idea of the refinement of art in Asia Minor in antiquity. The collection of objects from the Middle East doesn't stop there, however: visit reconstructions of Assyrian temples and palaces, tombs from the world's oldest city, Uruk, and architectural gems from ancient Iran.

The Museum of Islamic Art, on the second floor, boasts objects from the ^8th to the ^19th century, and includes pieces of Umayyad, Abbasid, Almoravid, Safavid, Mughul and Ottoman art. The spearhead of this part of the museum was a gift from a Turkish sultan to the German emperor, and not the least: the façade of the citadel of Mshatta. The German imperial family seems to have taken an interest in this art form, as numerous pieces and carpets were added over the years. Unfortunately, many treasures were lost to the flames during the bombing raids, including part of the Mshatta gate. Today, the collection numbers several thousand pieces, from a vast area stretching from Spain to India, with a particular emphasis on Near Eastern art, including Egypt and Iran. The sumptuous Aleppo Room(Aleppo-Zimmer) is a ^17th-century Syrian relic, a reception room in red wood painted with scenes from the Bible.

The visual arts are represented by the Louis Henri de Polier collection, with book illuminations and miniatures, remarkable pieces of Indo-Persian art.