Monday's opening ceremony marked the start of parliament's move from its present home in Bonn to the building which housed German parliaments before World War II.

The first bright sunshine in several weeks illuminated the glass dome which is the most distinctive new feature of the renovated building.

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"I want this glass dome to become a symbol for the openness and transparency of our democratic politics," Chancellor Gerhard Schröder said as he addressed parliament for the first time in the new chamber.

The chancellor sought to calm fears that the move would evoke uncomfortable memories of the Nazi and Communist regimes which were once based in Berlin.

"Our democracy and our parliament are strong and stable," Mr Schröder said.

"The move to Berlin is not a break in the continuity of German post-war history."

He also dealt with concerns that the return to the imperial capital coincided with Germany's military role in the Kosovo crisis.

The chancellor said participation in Nato's campaign was Germany's "historic responsibility ... as a land that had two dictatorships in this century, as a land that brought genocide and aggression over our continent."

Key moment

Earlier, Sir Norman Foster, the British architect responsible for the renovation scheme, handed over a large symbolic key to the speaker of parliament, Wolfgang Thierse.

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Sir Norman spoke of the radical approach adopted in creating a parliament which symbolised openness.

"Where else in the world could anyone walk through this entrance along with the politicians?"

The glass dome allows visitors to look down on MPs

Mr Thierse responded that he would "welcome the atmosphere of fairness and calmness in coming parliamentary debates."

A blessing ceremony was conducted by Catholic and Protestant priests.

Parliament then began a debate aimed at reviewing progress made towards the integration of the former East and West Germany.

Guests at the opening ceremony included former Chancellor Helmut Kohl, whose long tenure saw the reunification of Germany.

Mr Schröder is later due to meet Jewish leaders from the United States to discuss a planned multi-billion dollar fund for the victims of Nazism.

Back to Bonn

Members of parliament will return to work in Bonn after Monday's debate.

They will move permanently to Berlin in September, after final touches have been made to the renovation work.

The conservative Die Welt newspaper described the occasion as "a cause for joy", linking the opening of the new parliament to the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989.

"It marks the completion of the events of autumn 1989, the end of the division of Germany and of all Europe."

The Reichstag building dates to 1894, and was badly damaged by fire in 1933.

When Germany and Berlin were divided between East and West after World War II, the West German government moved to Bonn, while East Germany was ruled from elsewhere in Berlin.

After the former East Germany was absorbed into the German Federal Republic in 1990, the united country was ruled from Bonn.

But it was decided that government would eventually return to Berlin, the historical capital of Germany.