Akademie der Künste – Pariser Platz Historic Mitte

The only building on Pariser Platz with a glass facade, the Academy of Arts was designed by Günter Behnisch and is the successor of Berlin’s oldest cultural institution, the Prussian Academy of Arts, founded in 1696 by Prussian duke Friedrich III (who later became King Friedrich I). It presents a varied program of high-brow readings, lectures, workshops and exhibits, many of them free. The centre's cafe, Weinwirtschaft, serves refreshments and international dishes.