The Pergamon Museum is a famous museum in Berlin, Germany. It is located on the Museum Island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and is one of the largest and most visited museums in Europe. The museum is home to some of the world’s most significant archaeological finds, including the Pergamon Altar and the Ishtar Gate of Babylon. The museum also features collections of ancient art, Islamic art, and Islamic artifacts from the Middle East.
History of the Pergamon Museum
The Pergamon Museum was founded in 1930 and is named after the ancient city of Pergamon in modern-day Turkey. The museum was originally built to house the immense collection of antiquities that were discovered by German archaeologists during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The collection was the result of numerous excavations and expeditions to the Middle East and the Mediterranean.
The museum is divided into three sections: the Antikensammlung (Classical Antiquities), the Vorderasiatisches Museum (Near East Museum), and the Museum für Islamische Kunst (Museum of Islamic Art). Each section contains a wide variety of artifacts and art from different time periods and cultures, from ancient Egypt and the Near East to the Islamic world. The museum also features a special exhibition hall for temporary exhibitions.
The Pergamon Altar
The Pergamon Altar is the most famous artifact in the museum. It is a monumental altar built by the ancient Greeks in the 2nd century BC. The altar was dedicated to the gods Zeus, Athena, and Hercules. It is made of marble and is decorated with reliefs depicting a battle between the gods and the giants.
The altar was discovered in 1878 by German archaeologists, and it was moved to the museum in 1930. The altar is one of the most impressive examples of ancient Greek art, and it is one of the most visited artifacts in the museum.
The Ishtar Gate of Babylon
The Ishtar Gate of Babylon is another important artifact in the museum. It is a gate built by the Babylonians in the 6th century BC. The gate is decorated with glazed blue bricks, and it is decorated with reliefs of lions and dragons. The gate was discovered in 1899 by German archaeologists, and it was moved to the museum in 1930.
The Ishtar Gate is one of the most impressive examples of ancient Near Eastern art, and it is one of the most visited artifacts in the museum.
Other Highlights of the Museum
In addition to the Pergamon Altar and the Ishtar Gate of Babylon, the museum also features many other impressive artifacts and art. These include the Market Gate of Miletus, a gate built by the ancient Greeks in the 2nd century BC; the Mshatta Facade, a decorative façade built by the Umayyad dynasty in the 8th century; and the Ishtar Gate of Susa, a gate built by the Achaemenid dynasty in the 6th century BC.
The museum also features a large collection of Islamic art and artifacts from the Middle East. These include ceramics, metalwork, carpets, textiles, and manuscripts from the Islamic world.
Visiting the Pergamon Museum
The Pergamon Museum is open daily from 10am to 6pm. Tickets can be purchased online or at the museum. The museum also offers guided tours and audio guides. For more information, visit the Pergamon Museum website.
The Pergamon Museum is one of the most important museums in Europe, and it is home to some of the world’s most significant archaeological finds. Visitors can explore the museum’s vast collection of artifacts and art from the ancient world, the Near East, and the Islamic world.
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