Berlin Katedrali’nde Mimari Dönüşüm ve Restorasyon: Barok’tan Nea-barok Anıta, Hanedan Temsili ve Kent Kimliği

This article analyzes the historical and architectural transformation of the Berlin Cathedral (Berliner Dom) through a restoration-centered perspective. From its origins as an early modern court church to its monumental Neo-Baroque reconstruction during the Kaiserzeit, and from the severe destruction of the Second World War to the restoration processes of the German Democratic Republic (GDR) and the post-reunification period, the Cathedral is examined as a multilayered cultural heritage site. The study argues that the architectural identity of the Berlin Cathedral has been shaped not only by stylistic change but by continuous political, ideological, social, and technical interventions.Restoration is approached not as a purely technical act, but as a process closely linked to historical memory, representation, and identity formation. Particular attention is given to the post-war period, when restoration decisions were negotiated between socialist ideology, international conservation principles, and West German financial and technical involvement. Interventions such as the demolition of the Denkmalskirche, the simplification of the dome, and the selective treatment of dynastic symbolism demonstrate how restoration functioned as an ideological instrument. After reunification, restoration practices increasingly aligned with international frameworks such as the Venice Charter, the Nara Document, and the Burra Charter.Methodologically, the study combines historical-theoretical analysis with archival research and restoration documentation. The Hohenzollern Crypt is discussed as a case study for contemporary conservation strategies. Ultimately, the Berlin Cathedral is presented as a “laboratory monument” in which restoration theory is tested in practice, highlighting conservation as an ongoing cultural and political negotiation.