  We report high resolution angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES)
studies of the electronic structure of BaFe$_2$As$_2$, which is one of the
parent compounds of the Fe-pnictide superconductors. ARPES measurements have
been performed at 20 K and 300 K, corresponding to the orthorhombic
antiferromagnetic phase and the tetragonal paramagnetic phase, respectively.
Photon energies between 30 and 175 eV and polarizations parallel and
perpendicular to the scattering plane have been used. Measurements of the Fermi
surface yield two hole pockets at the $\Gamma$-point and an electron pocket at
each of the X-points. The topology of the pockets has been concluded from the
dispersion of the spectral weight as a function of binding energy. Changes in
the spectral weight at the Fermi level upon variation of the polarization of
the incident photons yield important information on the orbital character of
the states near the Fermi level. No differences in the electronic structure
between 20 and 300 K could be resolved. The results are compared with density
functional theory band structure calculations for the tetragonal paramagnetic
phase.
