Palaces and Parks in Potsdam

The touristic highlights of Potsdam are the palace and gardens in Sanssouci Park, the New Garden and in Babelsberg Park.
Before or after visiting them, you may have a walk in the Dutch Quarter or around Schiffbauergasse.

Palaces and Parks in Potsdam (PDF, 57 KB)

The visit of the palaces and gardens is being coordinated by the visitors’ center of the Stiftung Preußische Schlösser and Gärten Berlin-Brandenburg (SPSG) (Foundation for Prussian Palaces and Gardens in Berlin-Brandenburg). Due to its great popularity, the Sanssouci palace is often particularly crowded. Groups should therefore book their visit a long time in advance or plan a visit during the early morning hours (8 h). As a good alternative, you can visit one of the other palaces in the Sanssouci Park; the Neue Palais in particular, with its magnificent structure, often meets much more accurately the expectations that many visitors have concerning the Sanssouci Palace. The opening times, general information on visits and admission prices (usually from 5 to 8 €) are varied and subject to seasons. Some smaller palaces for example are closed in winter time. For groups (from 10 people), there is a group flat-rate (about 30 € to 80 €, not applicable for school groups) in addition to the admission fee. Once you have chosen which palace to visit, we recommend checking the internet under www.spsg.de. Or you call 0331 – 9694-200. For a visit of Schloss Charlottenburg in Berlin, you will have to refer to the SPSG (more about it in the Berlin-chapter Museums). Prices and opening times for palaces not part of the SPSG can be found in the following address section. In any case, it is well-worth it to simply take a stroll in one of the parks. Visitors are asked to pay a “voluntary” park admission as a contribution to the maintenance of the historical gardens. For this fee however, you get a map and an overview of the park as well as some sightseeing suggestions.

Annual season ticket 2010 for the parks and gardens
This card allows you to enjoy a unique landscape architecture all year long. For only 12 €, visitors can marvel at the art of landscaping design, while contributing at the same time to the preservation of the Potsdamer parks. As an extra-bonus, the bearer of this card receives one free ticket to each of the five towers, enjoying five times spectacular views of these parks, which were declared part of the Unesco World Heritage in 1990. 5 panoramic views of these World Heritage-parks from the following towers: the Norman Tower, Towers in the Orangerie Castle as well as the Belvedere on the Klausberg in the Sanssouci park, the Belvedere on the Pfingstberg hill and the Flatow-tower in the Babelsberg park.
Tickets are available in the SPSG-Visitors’ center, by the Historischen Mühle (Historical Mill), In Potsdam-Sanssouci, Tel. 0331 - 9694-200, Fax 0331 9694-107, email besucherzentrum@spsg.de

Sanssouci Park

It didn't really flourish as a royal kitchen garden - but after Frederic II started redesigning the surroundings of his future summer palace in 1740, one of the most beautiful parks modeled on Versailles developed, with vineyard terraces, a copy of a ruin from antiquity as an eye-catching setting for the water reservoir of a fountain that never worked, sculptures, and spacious, artistically designed garden arrangements with its palaces.
opening hours: daily 6 am-dusk
admission: voluntary admission: 2 €
public transport: regional train to Park Sanssouci, bus 695, Bus 606, X 15 from Potsdam Hbf.

Sanssouci Palace and Park
Sanssouci Palace was built as a summer residence by Frederick II (known as Frederick the Great) from 1744-1747. The architect Georg Wenzeslaus von Knobelsdorff built the ground-floor building with its two wings on the top of a vineyard hill. The palace was relatively small and designed entirely for private use; five royal rooms are situated opposite five guest rooms with a domed central construction in between. The tour takes you through the King's apartment and the guest rooms of the palace and shows paintings, furniture, sculptures, ornamental plasterwork and porcelain, mainly from the 18th century. Themes include the importance of art at the Prussian court and Frederick the Great's life in Sanssouci. The tour of the park explains the layout as a whole and the most important sights, focusing on the garden areas from the 18th century.
Sanssouci is the most famous palace in Potsdam. That's why it is booked up very often, but are very attractive alternatives, however.
opening hours: Tu-Su. Apr-Oct: 10-18, Nov-Mar: Tu-Su 9-17 h, park daily 6 h -dusk
admission: Nov-Mar 8 €, red. 5 €, Apr-Oct 12 €, red. 8 € (incl. Bildergalerie) only with guided tour
groups/guided tours: tour of palace and park: for up to 40 pers. 80 € (except pupils) plus 8 € (with parc), 5 € (without parc) p.p.

Schloss Sanssouci
(Sanssouci Palace) Frederick the Great’s summer residence, built 1745-47 by Knobelsdorff, is situated on vineyard terraces. The façade is decorated with Bacchus symbols to match. This major work of German Rococo architecture contains magnificently furnished rooms and many masterpieces of painting.

Schloss Neue Kammern
(New Chambers) Frederick II’s palace for guests, with magnificent rooms such as the jasper room and inlaid cabinets of exquisite workmanship. in Sanssouci Park, next to the Palace.

Bildergalerie
(Picture Gallery) Dutch, Italian and French Renaissance and Baroque masterpieces in painting amongst others by Rubens, Van Dyck and Caravaggio. Located next to Sanssouci castle.

Orangerieschloss mit Turm
(Orangery Palace and Tower) Built 1851-64 in magnificent style by Persius, Stüler and Hesse, this palace exemplifies Friedrich Wilhelms IV’s nostalgia for Italy. Worth visiting especially for the Raffael Room, the tower gallery, and the viewing tower, which offers a beautiful view.

Historische Mühle
(Historical Mill) The mill was built in 1787-1791 by van der Bosch and completely destroyed in a fire in 1945. It was rebuilt for the celebrations of Potsdam’s 1000th birthday in 1993. Today it houses the visitors’ center of the Stiftung Preußische Schlösser und Gärten (Foundation for Prussian Palaces and Gardens).

Chinesisches Haus
(Chinese House) This little jewel lies at the foot of the terrace garden at Sanssouci. Meissen and East Asian porcelain are exhibited here. One of the most important examples of European chinoiserie.

Belvedere on the Klausberg
Beautiful view of the Sanssouci parc, the hilly landscape with its many lakes and the city of Potsdam.

Norman Tower on the Ruinenberg
Gorgeous panoramic view going from the little castle on Peacock Island all the way to the Wilhelmshöhe (William’s Heights) close to Werder.

Neues Palais
(New Palace) Frederick the Great’s most splendid palace, built in 1763- 69, with the royal apartments, festival halls (e.g. the Grotto Room, Shell Room) and the Palace theater – all showing the magnificence of the time. Schloss Charlottenhof (Charlottenhof Palace) One of Schinkel’s major works (built 1826-29), the palace’s austere classical form is inspired by country houses from antiquity. Interesting rooms such as the Writing Cabinet of Crown Prince Friedrich Wilhelm IV and his wife Elisabeth.

Römische Bäder
(Roman Baths) This romantic ensemble was built in Italian country house style between 1829 and 1840. The Roman Bath itself, whose architecture is based on ancient baths and which gives the complex its name, was built last. Sometimes there are special exhibitions here.

NEW GARDEN

This park was laid out from 1787 at Heiliger See as Prussia’s first English Park landscape. Here you find the Marble Palace, the Orangery, Cecilienhof Palace. Other park landscape structures such as the Gothic library, the pyramid or the shell grotto have been well preserved.
Am Neuen Garten
tram 90, 92, 95, bus 603
daily 8 am till dusk

Marmorpalais
(Marble Palace) The beautiful restored palace was built from 1787-1791 by Gontard and Langhans. It contains inlaid cabinets and exquisite early classicist rooms, mostly with the original decor and furniture.

Schloss Cecilienhof
(Cecilienhof Palace) Built 1914-17 by Schultze-Naumburg, post-war history was made here. The Potsdam Conference was held here from 17 July to 2 August 1945. You can also see the apartments of the last Crown Prince and his Princess.

Belvedere on the Pfingstberg
This palace was built in the mid-19th century. The restored western and eastern towers offer a magnificent view of the New Garden and Potsdam.

BABELSBERG PARK

Schloss Babelsberg
(Babelsberg Palace) The palace above Lake Glienicke was built in 1834-35 by Schinkel in English Tudor style. It was restyled in 1844-49 by Persius and Strack. The park designed in the 19th century by Lenné and Count Pückler gives a wonderful wide view of the Potsdam landscape. Next to the Palace is the Flatow Tower, the Machine House and the Law Court summerhouse.
bus 694

Flatow Tower
“Beautiful views”, not only from the tower but also as a theme of a permanent exhibition, bearing the same name, about the history of the Babelsberger Parc.

ELSEWHERE

Krongut Bornstedt
(Bornstedt Crown Estate) Only 400 meters from Sanssouci, this model farm of the Hohenzollerns was completely restored at the end of the 1990s. It gives you a feeling of Prussian history in Brandenburg. With shops, glass-blowing workshop, café and brewery with beer garden, markets and lots of events.
Ribbeckstr. 6/7
tram 92, bus 614, 695
daily 10-19 h
free- except for some markets or events

Jagdschloss Stern
(Stern Hunting Lodge) Built like a Dutch mansion in 1730-32 for Frederick William I. It lies in the former Parforceheide (coursing heath) between Berlin and Potsdam.
An der Parforceheide 74
bus 694, 601, tram 92, 96

Sacrower Heilandskirche
(Sacrow Church of the Savior) This little jewel of a church located on the other side of the Havel river can be seen from the Glienicke Bridge, shining like a diamond. Go there by water taxi or by ferry (complicated bus connection).and you’ll discover the finest castle park around ! Food and art auctions in the castle. But this is not all: the town of Sacrow itself is truly enchanting and the lake of the same name crystal clear.
Fährstraße
bus 697