Pergamonmuseum

Pergamonmuseum
Name	Pergamonmuseum
Established	1930
Location	Museum Island, Berlin
Type	Archaeological museum
Collection	Antiquities from the Ancient Near East, Classical antiquity
Director	Barbara Helwing
Architect	Alfred Messel, Ludwig Hoffmann
Website	www.smb.museum

Pergamonmuseum. Located on the renowned Museum Island in the heart of Berlin, it is one of Germany's most visited museums and a paramount institution for ancient monumental architecture. The museum is celebrated for its breathtaking, large-scale reconstructions of archaeological wonders, primarily excavated by German archaeologists in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its collections are divided among three major wings: the Collection of Classical Antiquities, the Museum of the Ancient Near East, and the Museum of Islamic Art.

History

The museum's origins are tied to the ambitious excavations led by Carl Humann at Pergamon in modern-day Turkey beginning in 1878, which unearthed the monumental Pergamon Altar. To house these and other growing collections from sites across the Ancient Near East, the first building, a temporary structure, opened in 1901. Under the patronage of Kaiser Wilhelm II, a grand new museum was designed by Alfred Messel and completed after his death by Ludwig Hoffmann, finally opening in 1930. The museum suffered damage during the Allied bombing of Berlin in World War II, and many of its major artifacts were crated and evacuated, some being seized as war trophies by the Red Army and transported to the Hermitage Museum in Leningrad. Following their return to East Berlin in 1958, the museum underwent extensive restoration and reopened in 1959, remaining a cultural flagship throughout the Cold War and after German reunification.

Architecture

The building itself is a monumental, three-winged structure in the style of late Wilhelminism and early Modernism, designed specifically to accommodate its colossal exhibits. The central courtyard and the halls for the Pergamon Altar and the Market Gate of Miletus were constructed with immense interior volumes and reinforced ceilings to support the weight of the reconstructions. The use of steel frameworks, concrete, and vast skylights was innovative for its time, creating a dramatic, temple-like atmosphere for the antiquities. The architectural design directly serves the museological concept of presenting the artifacts in an immersive, contextualized manner, a principle that continues to define the visitor experience.

Collections and exhibits

The museum's holdings are managed by the Staatliche Museen zu Berlin and are divided among three world-class collections. The Collection of Classical Antiquities features artifacts from Greek and Roman civilizations, including the famed structures from Pergamon and Miletus. The Museum of the Ancient Near East safeguards treasures from Mesopotamia, Syria, and Anatolia, with the Ishtar Gate as its centerpiece. The Museum of Islamic Art contains masterpieces from the 8th century to the 19th century, including the ornate Mshatta Facade from a Umayyad palace in Jordan and the Aleppo Room from Syria.

The Pergamon Altar

This monumental Hellenistic altar, dating to the 2nd century BCE, is the museum's namesake and most iconic exhibit. Excavated from the acropolis of the ancient city of Pergamon, the altar is renowned for its extensive, dynamic frieze depicting the Gigantomachy, the mythological battle between the Olympian gods and the Giants. The structure is a supreme example of Hellenistic art and Greek architecture, showcasing the political and cultural ambitions of the Attalid dynasty. The altar's dramatic presentation on a raised platform within a grand, columned hall allows visitors to appreciate its architectural and artistic grandeur fully.

The Ishtar Gate and Processional Way

A breathtaking reconstruction of the eighth gate to the inner city of Babylon, built under King Nebuchadnezzar II around 575 BCE. The gate and its adjoining Processional Way are adorned with glazed brick reliefs depicting rows of mušḫuššu (dragons), bulls, and lions, symbols of the gods Marduk, Adad, and Ishtar. This exhibit is a cornerstone of the Museum of the Ancient Near East and represents the zenith of Neo-Babylonian architecture and artistry, providing an unparalleled insight into the ceremonial grandeur of ancient Mesopotamia.

The Market Gate of Miletus

This towering Roman gate, a two-story façade over 16 meters high, originally formed the entrance to the marketplace of Miletus in Asia Minor. Dating to around 120 CE, it is a magnificent example of Roman imperial architecture, blending Greek architectural orders with Roman scale and decoration. The gate was reconstructed from fragments excavated after an earthquake, and its display, facing the Pergamon Altar across a central hall, creates a powerful dialogue between Greek and Roman monumental art within the museum.

Significance and influence

The Pergamonmuseum is a landmark of museum history and archaeological display, pioneering the concept of the "architectural museum" where visitors are enveloped by reconstructed ancient environments. Its collections are intrinsically linked to the history of German archaeology and the complex cultural politics of the late 19th and 20th centuries. As a central component of the Museum Island UNESCO World Heritage Site, it plays a vital role in global cultural heritage, attracting scholars and visitors from around the world to witness its unique assemblages from Pergamon, Babylon, and Miletus.

Category:Archaeological museums in Germany Category:Museums in Berlin Category:Museum Island Category:1930 establishments in Germany