The cultural heart of the new Berlin for two decades has been an enigma, a puzzle. Today is a lesson in how to deal with an uncomfortable past without deleting it, deny it or mythologized. And it helps the Neues Museum, this houses the Egyptian Museum, with its famous bust of Nefertiti, in addition to the Museum of Prehistory and Primitive Art and the Collection of Classical Antiquities. Architecturally, however eloquent and discreet by British David Chipperfield, has been reborn from its own ruins as the most important museum of the renewed German capital.

Photography by Jorge-11

And when the whole Museum Island is completed in 2015, all compete with the Louvre in the race to become the best complex of museums. In addition, the Neues Museum, the urban enclave includes the Pergamon Museum, the Bode-Museum, the Altes Museum and the Alte Nationalgalerie.

Photography by saragoldsmith

Like many places in central Berlin, this island is embraced by the arms of the Spree River and ordered built by the Kaiser Friedrich Wilhelm IV in 1841 has a broken past. It closed in 1939 with the onset of World War II and was subsequently bombed during the race to the end, end up torn and abandoned with the walls and fresh to the elements during the 60 years that the old art gallery was used as a warehouse, armory or quarry for future buildings.

Photography by Kai ‘Oswald’ Seidler

The architectural project manager of the Neues Museum, David Chipperfield, developed an idea: would not rebuild what was lost, but to rescue what was saved. Worked with respect and courage not to remove a memorial or a historical reproduction, but to make sense of the extraordinary ruin that survived the horror of war and 60 years of neglect. For a decade, Chipperfield has worked in Berlin. Following the inauguration of his magnum opus in October 2009, now reveals his thoughts on the city.

While the whole world enjoyed the spectacle of architectural icons to reappear sprouting cities on the map of tourist destinations, Berlin argued for their rebuild Museum Island with another idea: in a sober, respectful and extremely subtle. Chipperfield explains that «the Neues Museum is a special and unique.» The Briton is convinced that the desire of the city was making a reconstruction simple copy the history.

After rescuing spend ten years, guessing, recovering, cleaning up and preparing our building for the future, Chipperfield is convinced that architecture never quite perfect. But few things are. The Neues Museum concept works because it shows the best and the worst in history. Do not erase the accounts. And that’s why people like it because they see a building full and sincere.

Finally finish by saying that the «Bust of Nefertiti» It is the most seen, admired and coveted in the world, is was carved 3,500 years ago and discovered by the archaeologist Ludwig Borchardt, remained safe, he had been transferred to a safe place , currently owned by German collector James Simon, belongs to the Egyptian art collection is exhibited in the New Museum, to visit the public from October 17, 2009.

Photography by Kai °° OJOS DE AGUA °°

Data:

Address: Genthiner Straße 38, 10785 Berlin City
Phone: 49 (0) 30 266 42-4242
E-mail: service@smb.museum and website: neues-museum.de

Bon voyage!