Though not worth the extra admission charge or the wait to stand inside it, the gilded cupola of the New Synagogue is one of the most eye-catching sights in Mitte. Exhibits strikingly balance the restoration of the Alhambra-inspired synagogue from 1866, with preserved evidence of its destruction, first on Kristallnacht on November 9, 1938, and then through Allied bombs. Documents and photographs remember the thriving Jewish community of the neighbourhood, many of whom worshipped here in what was the largest synagogue in Germany. A subtle but effective sound installation adds to the experience.

Admission €3.5/3.