The Alte National Galerie (Old National Gallery) houses one of the most important collections of 19th century painting in Germany and includes masterpieces by Caspar David Friedrich, Adolph Menzel Edouard Manet Claude Monet, not to mention Auguste Renoir and Auguste Rodin. Amongst the most important highlights are K D Friedrichs “Der Mnch am Meer” (from 1810) Arnold Brcklin’s “Die Toteninsel (1883), Adolph Menzel’s “Flotenkonzert Friedrich des Groen in Sanssouci” (1852) and Edouard Manet’s “Im Wintergarten” (1979).
The collection was first housed in the buildings of the Akademie der Knste. The current building, shaped like a Roman temple with an appended apse was planned by Friedrich August Stler in 1865, following a sketch by King Frederick William IV of Prussia, and its construction between 1869 and 1876 was overseen by Heinrich Strack. The building was heavily damaged in World War II air raids. It was partly reopened in 1949, but reconstruction continued until 1969. Between 1998 and 2001, the museum was renovated thoroughly. Some extra halls were added on the uppermost floor and now contain the Romantic works. The collection contains works from Classicism and Romanticism (by artists such as Caspar David Friedrich, Karl Friedrich Schinkel, and Karl Blechen), of the Biedermeier, the French Impressionism (douard Manet, Claude Monet) and early modern works (Adolph von Menzel, Max Liebermann, Lovis Corinth). Among the most important exhibits are Friedrich's Mnch am Meer, Menzel's Eisenwalzwerk and sculptor Johann Gottfried Schadow's Prinzessinnengruppe, a double statue of princesses Louise and Friederike of Prussia.
