Karl Friedrich Schinkel (1781-1841) was one of Berlin's greatest builders, city planners, architectural theorists, and preservers of monuments. A special exhibition about his life and achievements was held in Berlin's Old Museum in 1981 in honor of his 200th birthday.

This documentary presents Schinkel's biography and most important works along with scenes from the exhibition. Schinkel's humanistic worldview makes him an role model for contemporary East German youth and his desire to combine beauty and functionality in architecture serves as a model for the GDR's "Plattenbau" style of prefabricated concrete buildings.