The former congress hall, today called "The House Of The Cultures Of The World", was built in 1957 by the Benjamin Franklin Foundation, as a contribution of the USA to the construction exhibition. It was donated to the city of Berlin. The construction took only 15 months. At the 7th of April 1965, a plenary session of the "Deutsche Bundestag" took place. This session caused strong reactions from the East-German government.

In 1980, some parts of the front side of the building collapsed. One person died, many

others were injured. After a period of discussion, the congress hall was reconstructed and reopened to the public in 1987.

There is some water architecture in front of the building, which invites you to take a rest. It is surrounded by sculptures, e.g. from Henry Moore. Nearby the hall, one of the world's biggest chimes is located in a tower.

You can hear it daily at 12pm and 8pm.