The palaces and gardens in Berlin and the province of Brandenburg bear witness to the artistic, cultural and architectural history of the region. Dreamy summer palaces tell stories of bygone times, while spacious parks enchant promenaders with their surprising panoramas. Visiting the cultural landscape between Berlin and Potsdam you will get to know the meaning of the expression "Prussian Arcadia".

The splendiferous palace with its superbly decorated halls and its high-class art collection was built from 1695 to 1699 as a summer residence for Queen Sophie Charlotte, the wife of Frederick III. Taking a walk through the beautiful baroque park is a cultural experience of its own all the year round. Here you can find for example the impressive mausoleum of Queen Luise as well as the former tea house Belvedere, which houses exquisite porcelain objects.

Spandauer Damm 20-24, Berlin-Charlottenburg
U7 Richard-Wagner-Platz, Bus 309, 145 Schloss Charlottenburg

In 1542 already, the Grunewald Hunting Lodge or "Jagdschloss Grunewald" was built on the shore of lake Grunewaldsee, on behalf of Elector Joachim II, an enthusiastic hunter. The renaissance edifice was amplified by prestigious baroque buildings at the beginning of the 18th century. Today it is the oldest still existing palace in Berlin. The exhibitions of historic furniture and porcelain as well as outstanding paintings by Rubens, Cranach and others illustrate the history of art and hunt at the court.

Hüttenweg 100 (at lake Grunewaldsee), Berlin-Zehlendorf
Bus X83, X10, 115 Königin-Luise-Str./Clayallee

Picturesque Peacock Island with its quaint little white palace from 1794 is only accessible by a ferry and thus has conserved its insular character. At its northern front you can find a former dairy-farm which has been built to look like a gothic ruin. The garden landscape with its old oak trees was conceived by garden designer Lenné and is, of course, inhabited by lordly peacocks.

Berlin-Zehlendorf, Bus 218 Pfaueninsel

In 1826 Schloss Glienicke was built for Prince Carl von Preussen. With its Italian country-house style it represents a little piece of Italy in Berlin. In front of the main facade there is a large gilt lion fountain. In the park you can find other sculptures, for example the milkmaid fountain. The terraces of Schinkel's neo-classical Casino offer a wonderful view over the Havel waterscape - "the Bay of Potsdam".

Königsstraße 36, Berlin-Zehlendorf, Bus 316 Schloss Glienicke

The three storey baroque palace Köpenick is surrounded by its English park and located on the idyllic Schlossinsel (Palace Isle). Very impressive are the stucco works of Giovanni Caroveri and the elaborate ceiling paintings of Jaques Vaillant. The arts-and-crafts-museum (Kunstgewerbemuseum) with renaissance, baroque and rococo furniture and room decoration is housed in the palace.

Schlossinsel, Berlin-Köpenick
Bus 167, 164 Tram 27, 60, 61, 62, 67, 68 Schlossplatz Köpenick

Schloss Sanssouci was Frederick the Great's summer residence. It was built as a pleasure palace above the vineyard between 1745 and 1747. In the spacious Sanssouci Park there are other smaller palace buildings like the Neue Kammern (New Chambers), the Orangerie (Orangery Palace), the Chinesisches Haus (Chinese House) and the Schloss Charlottenhof (Charlottenhof Palace).

Maulbeerallee, Potsdam
From Potsdam Hauptbahnhof (S1, Regionalbahn) by bus no. 695 or no. X15 to Schloss Sanssouci

Schloss Babelsberg was designed in 1833 by Karl Friedrich Schinkel in neo-gothic style. It was William I's summer residence for 50 years. Ludwig Persius began to conceive an extension in 1841. Another building in the Park Babelsberg, which is well worth seeing, is the Flatowturm (Flatow Tower). It was created by Johann Heinrich Strack and built between 1853 and 1856.

Allee nach Glienicke, Potsdam
S1 Babelsberg, Bus 694 Schloss Babelsberg

The palace was erected between 1914 and 1917 for Crown Prince William and his wife Cecilie von Mecklenburg-Schwerin. Its style may remind you of an English country house. It is located between lake Heiliger See, lake Jungfernsee and hill Pfingstberg. From 17 July to 2 August 1945, Cecilienhof Palace was the venue for the Potsdam Conference of the allied forces of the Second World War. It was the last palace to be built by the noble Hohenzollern.

Im Neuen Garten, Potsdam
From Potsdam Hauptbahnhof (S1, Regionalbahn) by tramway no. 90 or no. 92 to "Reiterweg/Alleestraße," (from there another two stops by bus no. 692 to "Am Neuen Garten")

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