6 . G E M Ä L D E
G A L E R I E
MATTHÄIKIRCHPLATZ
The Gemäldegalerie boasts one of the world ’ s
most important collections of European painting
ranging from the 13th to 18th century .
Masterpieces from all epochs in the history of art
are on permanent display here , including
paintings by Jan van Eyck , Pieter Bruegel ,
Albrecht Dürer , Raphael , Titian , Caravaggio ,
Peter Paul Rubens , Rembrandt , and Jan Vermeer
van Delft . The gallery is especially proud of its
strong collection of German and Italian painting
from the 13th to 16th century and painting from
the Low Countries dating from the 15th to 17th
century .
The paintings in the collection have been on
show in their present home at
the Kulturforum since 1998 . The design proposals
for the Gemäldegalerie ’ s new building were
submitted in an architectural competition in
1986 , with the contract awarded to the
architects Hilmer & Sattler the following year .
With distinctly Prussian austerity of expression ,
the simple building rises above the sloping
piazzetta , while inside its individual galleries are
grouped around a light - filled central hall .
In its sense of architectural restraint , the simple
designs of the façade are deliberately
reminiscent of Karl Friedrich Schinkel ’ s Altes
Museum . And in keeping with this , the individual
galleries within demonstrate a classical sense of
proportion . From the large central hall visitors
can weave their way through the galleries at
leisure , dipping in and out on their personal tour
through the collection .