Alte Nationalgalerie Berlin: Caspar David Friedrich and 19th-Century Painting

The Alte Nationalgalerie, Bodestraße 1-3 on Museum Island, shows 19th-century painting and sculpture: Caspar David Friedrich's Monk by the Sea, Adolph Menzel, Max Liebermann, Arnold Böcklin and French Impressionists such as Monet, Manet and Renoir. The building, a Prussian neoclassical temple set on a high plinth, opened in 1876 and was restored in 2001. It is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 6pm; a ticket costs €16, free for under-18s. The works are spread over three levels; allow an hour and a half to two hours for your visit.

Highlights

The temple of the Nationalgalerie

With its colonnade, grand staircase and the equestrian statue that crowns it, the building recalls an ancient temple. It owes its origin to the banker Joachim Heinrich Wilhelm Wagener's bequest of his collection to the Prussian state, which gave rise to the Nationalgalerie.

Caspar David Friedrich

The Monk by the Sea is the museum's most famous painting: a tiny figure facing an almost empty horizon, an emblem of German Romantic painting. It hangs alongside other Friedrich landscapes.

Menzel and Liebermann

Adolph Menzel is represented by scenes from the court of Frederick the Great, including The Flute Concert at Sanssouci; Max Liebermann represents German Impressionism. It is a chance to compare with the French Impressionists.

The French Impressionists

Canvases by Monet, Manet and Renoir fill the second floor. It is closed from 29 September to 21 October 2026 while an exhibition is dismantled; the museum is fully open again from 22 October.

Sculpture

Johann Gottfried Schadow's Princess Group, a double portrait of Princesses Louise and Frederica of Prussia, is one of the museum's best-known sculptures.

Opening hours and prices

Open Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 6pm, closed Monday. Full price €16, reduced €8, free for under-18s. The €24 Museum Island ticket and the €32 Museumspass Berlin also give access to the museum.

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