Today I’d like to share some pics of my day trip to Potsdam, Germany a town outside of Berlin. Potsdam is the town where Frederick the Great of Germany built his summer castle Sanssouci Palace. In addition to the palace the other sites to see in this town include the quaint Dutch downtown, and the historic Potsdam University.
Potsdam University
The Potsdam University is a working university with faculty and students who attend classes in historic buildings situated around the New Palace of Sanssouci. The buildings we got to see were preserved as museums while classes were being held in smaller buildings that surround the palace. Though we couldn’t go inside as many of the buildings were closed for renovation, the exteriors themselves are beautiful.
Puffs of clouds in Europe are right out of a Michelangelo painting
Sanssouci Palace the summer palace of King Frederick II known as Fredrick the Great
The Sanssouci Palace was built in 1747 as a summer home for King Frederick II who was known to have preferred the more humble style of decor rather than the grand trappings of royalty of his time. Though he couldn’t have his wishes in his main palace in Berlin, he designed and built a summer palace in tune to his more modest taste.
Sanssouci Palace is a small scale palace compared to the grand palaces of most of Europe.
Meant to be a place where King Frederick II could go to relax surrounded by nature and a more simple life, this summer palace is charming and “cozy” by most palace standards.
The interiors include fewer rooms by palace standards
The rooms include the anteroom, the ballroom (marble hall), the royal apartment and five guest rooms. In the middle part of the castle is the vestibule and the marble hall that faces the garden.
The garden was designed by the King himself and was a great source of pride when the flowers and fauna were in bloom .
In the winter we had little to see in the garden but the pictures I saw of summer in the palace gardens were glorious!
Concert room
The concert room is one of the most beautiful rooms in the palace depicting nature and use of mirrors to create an expansive feeling.
The reception room next to the concert room is wheres guests waited to be received by the King.
Marble hall
The marble hall served as a ballroom and was on the garden side. The Pantheon in Rome was the model for the dome opened by a light opening at the apex. The marble of the marble hall comes from Carrara and Silesia and was processed in the columns, walls, window reveals and in the ornamental inlay work of the floor.
The tomb of the King and his beloved dogs
The tomb designed by Kind Frederick II himself is very modest in style. He requested that he be buried in the garden of his summer home Sanssouci Palace along side his beloved dogs.
The “Potato King”
Did you know King Frederick II is the one who introduced potatoes to Germany. I wondered why potatoes were strewn across the King’s grave and found out that it is in homage to his role in encouraging the use and cultivation of potatoes in Prussia . He did this to alleviate famine and to increase food production.
Day trip to Potsdam
A day trip to Potsdam is a great way to take a break from the hustle and bustle of the city of Berlin. Summertime in the Palace gardens are glorious and the Potsdam is a beautiful walkable little town.
