Reynold's film tells the story of the Palace of the Republic in Berlin, which opened in 1976 as an emblem of the future of East Germany. The unique modern building was home to not just the East German Parliament but also auditoriums, art galleries, five restaurants, concert halls, and even a bowling alley. The building's dazzling public lobby was then the center of social life in East Berlin with thousands of sparkling lamps filling the open space of the lobby's grand staircase. Many Berliners recall attending a play in one of the theaters, dancing the night away in the underground disco or being married. Later, thousands of citizens demonstrated against the planned demolition and hoped the building would be protected against historical censorship, but alas, one day, twenty years after the fall of the Berlin wall, the Palace completely disappeared.