2. The Reichstag (Germany's Parliament)

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Just a couple blocks from the gate is the Reichstag, the parliament building of Germany. It has a see-through glass dome right above the chamber. You are able to walk up in and around it in a spiral, and look down on those making the laws, governing the land, etc. It's symbolic because the workings of the government should be transparent for citizens to see. Also, as the politicians are working and deciding things they only have to look up and see the people of the land looking down on them, reminding them of who they're working for.

Of course, as Em pointed out, that's when and if they're actually in session. And it's mostly tourists looking down on them, rather than the "people of the land". But the symbolism remains.

Later that night Beth and I came back to go up in the dome. We waited in line for about an hour, took an elevator ride and walked around the spiral. It was fun to see the Berlin city lit up at night and recognize some of the places we'd been during the day.

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