ARTE Documentaries

The Pergamon Altar: A Marvel of the Ancient World (2023x2)

Air date: May 19, 2023

In ancient times, the Pergamon Altar was considered a "wonder of the world" before it was almost completely destroyed. Today, a replica of it is on display in a museum in Berlin. The gigantic altar frieze with its expressive fighting gods fascinates numerous visitors from all over the world. The frieze was also lost for a long time until a German architect rediscovered remains in Bergama, Turkey in the 19th century. The documentary examines how the altar came to Berlin and why it was received so enthusiastically that an entire museum was built for it.