Bode-Museum Berlin, Angels and Demons

Located on the northern end of "Museum Island" in the heart of Berlin, the Bode Museum is a must for anyone interested in art, particularly medieval art. Founded in 1904, the Bode Museum reopened in 2006 after extensive renovations. It contains a wealth of art and artifacts from the Byzantine and Medieval periods, primarily from Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, France and Spain.

The Museum Building

Designed by head government building officer Ernst von Ihne, the Bode Museum is built in the style known as "Wilhelminian Baroque" for Wilhelm II. It is a stately, palatial building with its outer wings directly overlooking the River Spree on both sides of Museum Island.

The northwest corner of the museum, which occupies the end of the island, is topped with a large Baroque dome. A smaller dome at the other end overlooks train tracks that run across the island. The interior is bright and spacious and decorated with fine architectural details.

The Collections

The Bode Museum houses three major collections of the Staatliche Museum (National Museum): the Sculpture Collection, the Museum of Byzantine Art, and the Numismatic Collection.

The Sculpture Collection

The extensive Sculpture Collection displayed in the Bode Museum encompasses works from the Early Middle Ages to the late 18th century, primarly from the German-speaking world, France, the Netherlands, Italy and Spain. Italian sculpture is especially well-represented.

The Museum of Byzantine Art

The only one of its kind in Germany, the Museum of Byzantine Art within the Bode Museum displays art and artifacts from Late Antiquity and the Byzantine period. The objects are mostly from the Mediterranean region, including Italy, Turkey, Greece, the Balkans, Egypt, and North Africa.