The first of the government ministers leaving Bonn is the man organising the move, Construction Minister Franz Müntefering.

After half a century, Bonn will no longer be the capital

The German parliament will also formally take up residence in Berlin along with several thousand government officials. It held its inaugural session in the newly renovated Reichstag building in April.

Six ministries will remain in Bonn.

The small Rhineland town of Bonn became the provisional capital of West Germany in 1949 because of the division of Germany after the Second World War.

Costly move

Returning the government and parliament to Berlin has proved expensive.

German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder's new Berlin office will cost $35.3m more than expected because of its complicated architectural design.

The German parliament has agreed to fund the additional cost, despite spending cuts that will reduce the country's projected budget for 2000 by $16bn.