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Kimigs-Platz. BERLIN. Section 6. 139
burg, by Vogel, Charles IV., by Diez, and Maximilian I., by
Widemann.
The S.E. part of the main floor contains the rooms of the
Government and of the Federal Council. The Vorsaal des Bundes-
rats, or Waiting Room of the Federal Council, is adorned with
sculpture in Istrian limestone, with which also the walls are lined.
The pillars dividing off the rear part of the hall are adorned with
beautiful bas-reliefs by O. Lessing. Along the walls run carved
benches, upholstered in stamped leather. A hermes-bust of Bis¬
marck, by Riimann, was placed here in 1903. — The Hall of the
Federal Council, in the S.E. tower, contains seats tor the 50 mem¬
bers round a table. The gilded wooden ceiling is adorned with alle¬
gorical paintings by Schuster-Woldan. The huge chimney-piece,
reaching to the ceiling, is adorned with a relief of Emp. William I.
by Vogel. — After inspecting the Royal Box, the anteroom of
which is adorned with stucco and bronze, we finally enter the E.
Vestibule , with portals by 0. Lessing. In the spandrels of the
staircase are tasteful ornamentations, by Widemann, representing
warlike trophies on the left, and peaceful tools on the right.
The N.E. part of the main floor is occupied by the rooms of the Pre¬
sident of the Reichstag and by a Reference Library. In the antechamber
of the former is a bust of Moltke, by Riimann. — On the second floor
are the assembly-rooms of the various 'fractions' or parties, and the
large library.
At the corner of the Sommer-Str. and Reichstags-Ufer is the official
residence of the President of the Reichstag, erected after Wallot's designs.
Opposite the W. fagade of the Reichstags-Gebaude rises the
*National Monument to Bismarck, by Reinhold Begas,
erected in 1901. The principal figure is impressive and the general
effect is fine; but the somewhat unintelligible allegorical details,
and the sketchy and uninteresting reliefs have been unfavourably
criticised. The monument proper, 80 ft. in height, rises from a
sandstone platform, bounded at each end by a spacious fountain-
basin. By the basin to the right is a graceful sandstone group of
two fishermen with a mermaid in their net; by that to the left are
a triton and nymph feeding a seal. The base and pedestal of the
monument are of red granite. The figure of Bismarck, 20 ft. in
height, expresses by attitude and gesture a proud self-reliance; the
left hand holds the sword firmly against his side, while the right
hand is spread upon the charter of the foundation of the empire.
The chancellor is represented in the uniform usually worn by him
in the old Reichstag (he never entered the new building). The relief's
on the pedestal represent, on the right, ravens hovering round an
owl, and, on the left, genii beside a hermes of Bismarck. Four
groups surround the base of the pedestal: in front Atlas bearing the
globe; behind, Siegfried forging the imperial sword; to the right,
an armed woman treading a panther underfoot (Constitutional Power