The exhibitions and collections at the Pergamon Museum contain archaeological artefacts from the archaic period to Hellenistic age as well as artwork from Greek and Roman antiquity: architecture, sculptures, inscriptions, mosaics, bronzes, jewelry and pottery.
The collections at the Pergamon Museum also exhibit artefacts from the areas of ancient Babylon, Uruk, Assur, Egypt and ancient Near East in general. The collection also greatly incorporated the finds from the excavations in Olympia, Samos, Pergamon, Miletus, Priene, Magnesia, Cyprus and Didyma.
In 1945 CE, the Red Army collected all of the loose museum items, either as war booty or to rescue them from looting and fires then raging in Berlin during the World War II. Not until 1958 CE were most of the objects returned to East Germany. Significant parts of the collection belonging to the Pergamon Museum still remain in Russia. Some are currently stored in the Pushkin Museum in Moscow and the Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg.
circa 575 BCE
Ishtar Gate and the Processional Street of Babylon
The Ishtar Gate was an ancient Babylonian monument that, originally built in the city of Babylon, which is located in present-day Iraq. The gate along with the processional street of Babylon (inspect) or the ritual path was constructed in the 6th century BCE by King Nebuchadnezzar II and served as the main entrance to the city's inner complex. In the early twentieth century CE, a team of German archaeologists led by Robert Koldewey excavated the site of the Ishtar Gate and transported its remains to Berlin, where it was reconstructed in the Pergamon Museum. The reconstruction of the Ishtar Gate in the Pergamon Museum is an impressive and faithful recreation of the original monument. The gate is approximately 14 meters high, 30 meters long, and 5 meters deep, and is made up of over 8,000 individual bricks. Another point of note is that the current exhibited gate is merely a part of a much larger gate complex.
circa 130 BCE
Pergamon Altar of Zeus and Athena
The Pergamon Altar is an ancient Greek monument that was originally built in the city of Pergamon (Pergamum), which is located in present-day Türkiye. The altar was constructed in the second century BCE and served as a place of sacrifice and worship for the gods. In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries CE, a team of German archaeologists led by Carl Humann excavated the site of the Pergamon Altar and transported its remains to Berlin, where it was reconstructed in the Pergamon Museum. The reconstruction of the Pergamon Altar in the Pergamon Museum is a remarkable feat of engineering and restoration. The altar is displayed in a large room that was specifically designed to accommodate its size and scale.
circa 125 CE
Kalabsha Temple Gate
The monumental gate of Kalabsha Temple is a massive, Roman-era sandstone gate that once served as the monumental entrance to the ancient Roman Temple Precinct of Manduis. The original temple was situated at Roman Talmis (later Arabic name: Bab al-Kalabsha), around 50 kilometers south of Aswan, Egypt, on the west bank of the river Nile. It was dedicated to the Nubian sun god Mandulis and was largely built during the reign of emperor Augustus around 30 BCE.
The gate is currently exhibited in the annex of Berlin's Egyptian Museum in Charlottenburg, where it has been displayed since 1977 CE. It was gifted to West Germany by Egypt in 1971 CE as a token of gratitude for Germany's technical support during the international campaign to salvage Nubian temples threatened by the rising waters of Lake Nasser following the construction of the Aswan High Dam.
Future plans include moving the Kalabsha Gate to the Pergamon Museum. The gate is slated to become the grand entrance to the museum's new fourth wing, which is currently under construction. The inclusion of the Kalabsha Gate will be part of the "Ancient Architectures Tour", showcasing monumental architectural pieces from various ancient civilizations.
circa 125 CE
Market Gate of Miletus
The Market Gate of Miletus is a monumental marble structure that was originally constructed in the second century CE in the Roman Miletus. In the early twentieth century CE, a team of German archaeologists led by Theodor Wiegand excavated the site and transported the gate's remains to Berlin, where it was reconstructed in the Pergamon Museum. Today, the Market Gate of Miletus is one of the most impressive exhibits in the museum's collection, and is a popular attraction for visitors interested in ancient Roman architecture and history. The reconstruction was completed in the 1930s, and the monument has been on display at the Pergamon Museum ever since.
Signup for our monthly newsletter / online magazine.
No spam, we promise.