BERLIN— The German government has announced that Italian architect Francesco Stella will rebuild the Berlin City Palace, reports Reuters. The original 1,500-room palace, which was started in the 15th century and finished in 1716, was heavily bombed by the Soviet army in World War II and was demolished by the East German government in 1950. In its place the communist government constructed the Palast der Republik, a stark, modern home for its parliament, in 1976. In 1990 that structure was found to contain asbestos and was closed.

The reunified German government voted to remove the asbestos shortly after the wall fell, and in 2002 to demolish the structure completely despite a public outcry, particularly from former East Germans. Demolition was completed last month.

The new, Stella structure will rise behind a reconstructed facade of the original Berlin City Palace. It will contain exhibition spaces presenting art and artifacts and a state library and is estimated to cost about $700 million and be completed in 2013. Details of the design — chosen from among some one hundred competitors — are to be released this month.