Reichsgericht building

The Reichsgericht is a Renaissance Revival palace featuring a prominent dome rising 68 meters high, topped with a sculpture representing Truth. The exterior and interior spaces showcase elaborate architectural design throughout.

The German Empire's highest court for civil and criminal cases operated from this building following its inauguration by Emperor Wilhelm II in 1895 until the end of World War II in 1945.

The building's interior displays symbols of justice through ceiling reliefs and sculptures along the main staircase that people working and visiting here encounter daily.

The Federal Administrative Court has been located here since 2002 and welcomes visitors during business hours on weekdays. Allow time to walk through the interior spaces, as the architectural details reward close attention.

During the German Democratic Republic era, this courthouse served as an art museum and a dubbing studio for DEFA film productions. This unexpected transformation reveals how the building adapted to different historical periods.

Location: Leipzig

Inception: 1888

Architects: Ludwig Hoffmann, Peter Dybwad

Architectural style: Renaissance Revival architecture

Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible

Operator: Bundesrepublik Deutschland

Address: Simsonplatz 1, 04107 Leipzig

Opening Hours: Monday-Friday 08:00-16:00

Website: https://bverwg.de

GPS coordinates: 51.33303,12.36978

Latest update: December 7, 2025 20:22