"Schloss Sanssouci", a relatively modest palace of the Prussian royal and German imperial family. It is often counted among the German rivals of Versailles. While Sanssouci is in the more intimate Rococo style and is far smaller than its French Baroque counterpart, it is also notable for the numerous temples and follies in the park. The palace was designed/built by Georg Wenzeslaus von Knobelsdorff between 1745 and 1747 to fulfill King Frederick's need for a private residence where he could relax away from the pomp and ceremony of the Berlin court (source: wikipedia). The palace's name emphasises this; it is a French phrase (sans souci), which translates as "without concerns", meaning "without worries" or "carefree"...
The terrace gardens, looking down from the Palace, towards the park
It was a little pity that in winter almost all outdoor statues are covered in wooden boxes to protect them against snow. The Palace and the park would be more romantic, charming and really nice in summer! Maybe I will have a reason to come back here when the sun shines :-).
"Potsdam is the capital city of the German federal state of Brandenburg and part of the Berlin/ Brandenburg Metropolitan Region. It is situated on the River Havel, 24 kilometres southwest of Berlin city centre." (wikipedia). It took us only about half an hour by car from Berlin Steglitz.
The terrace gardens partly covered in snow
"In classical European architecture, an atlas is a support sculpted in the form of a man, which may take the place of a column, a pier or a pilaster. The Roman term for such a sculptural support is telamon." (wikipedia) A caryatid is a sculpted female figure serving as an architectural support taking the place of a column or a pillar supporting an entablature on her head. The Greek term karyatides literally means "maidens of Karyai", an ancient town of Peloponnese. Karyai had a famous temple dedicated to the goddess [Artemis]in her aspect of Artemis Karyatis: "As Karyatis she rejoiced in the dances of the nut-tree village of Karyai, those Karyatides, who in their ecstatic round-dance carried on their heads baskets of live reeds, as if they were dancing plants" (Kerenyi, 1980).
"The location and layout of Sanssouci above a vineyard reflected the pre-Romantic ideal of harmony between man and nature, in a landscape ordered by human touch. Winemaking, however, was to take second place to the design of the palace and pleasure gardens. The hill on which Frederick created his terrace vineyard was to become the focal point of his demesne, crowned by the new, but small, palace - "mein Weinberghäuschen" ("my little vineyard house"), as Frederick called it. With its extensive views of the countryside in the midst of nature, Frederick wanted to reside there sans souci ("without a care") and to follow his personal and artistic interests. Hence, the palace was intended for the use of Frederick and his private guests - his sketch (illustration) indicated the balanced suites "pour les etrangers" and "pour le roy" - only during the summer months, from the end of April to the beginning of October." (wikipedia)
"Gazebos are freestanding or attached to a garden wall, roofed, and open on all sides; they provide shade, shelter, ornamental features in a landscape, and a place to rest. Some gazebos in public parks are large enough to serve as bandstands or rain shelters."
"The Historic Windmill is actually the third to be built on this site. The first was a wooden trestle mill, which was in working condition in 1739 and remaining for about 50 years. The second, constructed around 1790, was completely destroyed by fire during World War II. It was only in 1993 - during Potsdam's 1,000th-year anniversary - that it was re-opened. In addition to the functioning mill work, you will also find an exhibit on mills here." (source: potsdam.de)
"The Orangery Palace (German: Orangerieschloss) is also known as the New Orangery on the Klausberg, or just the Orangery. It was built by the Romantic on the Throne, Friedrich Wilhelm IV, in his seat of Potsdam, Brandenburg, Germany, from 1851 to 1864." (wikipedia)
The Orangery Palace
"The building, with its 300 meter long front, was built in the style of the Italian Renaissance, after the image of the Villa Medici in Rome and the Uffizi in Florence. The middle building with its twin towers is the actual castle. This building is joined to the 103 meter long and 16 meter wide Plant Hall, with its almost ceiling-to-floor windows on the south side. In the western hall, the original floor duct heating system is still present and functioning. In the alcoves along the garden side of the castle annex, there are allegorical figures of the months and seasons. In the corner building at the end of the Orangery Hall were the royal apartments and the servants' quarters." (wikipedia)
Snow fun!
The New Palace in Sanssouci Park
"The New Palace (German: Neues Palais) is a palace situated on the western side of the Sanssouci royal park in Potsdam, Germany. The building was begun in 1763, after the end of the Seven Years' War, under Frederick the Great and was completed in 1769. It is considered to be the last great Prussian baroque palace."
By chance, I also have got the plans of the 1st and 2nd storey of the New Palace, the colours are just corresponding to different types of rennovation work
"The New Palace built between 1763 and 1769 to celebrate the end of the Seven Years' War, in which Prussia ousted Austria from its centuries-long role as the dominant power in German affairs. It is a much larger and grander palace than Sanssouci, having over 200 rooms and 400 statues as decoration. It served as a guest house for numerous royal visitors. It is now housing parts of University of Potsdam."
"Twenty years following his creation of Sanssouci, Frederick built the New Palace (Neues Palais) in the western part of the park. This far larger palace was in direct contrast to the relaxed ethos behind Sanssouci, and displayed Frederick's power and strength to the world, in the Baroque style. The design of the New Palace was intended to demonstrate that Prussia's capabilities were undiminished despite its near defeat in the Seven Years' War. Frederick made no secret of his intention, even referring to the new construction as his "fanfaronnade" ("showing off")." (wikipedia)
My sweet accompanies on the day ;-)! The Palace and city was still crowded despite the cold weather.
The Dragon House was constructed between 1770 and 1772 in the Chinoiserie style on the northern edge of Sanssouci Park.
"A second historical architectural work with the name of Belvedere: the Belvedere on the peak of Klausberg Hill, north of the Neue Palais, offers a fine view of Sanssouci park. The structure, built by Georg Christian Unger according to a model from antiquity, was the final building constructed in Sanssouci under Frederick II. The two-storey pavilion was gutted during World War II and was restored after the re-unification." (source: potsdam.de)
"Potsdam has several claims to national and international notability. In Germany, it had the status that Windsor has in Britain: it was the residence of the Prussian kings and German Kaisers, until 1918. Around the city there are a series of interconnected lakes and unique cultural landmarks, in particular the parks and palaces of Sanssouci, the largest World Heritage Site in Germany. The Potsdam Conference, the major post-World War II conference between the victorious Allies, was held at another palace in the area, the Cecilienhof. Babelsberg, in the south-eastern part of Potsdam, was a major film production studio before the war and has enjoyed increased success as a major centre of European film production since the fall of the Berlin Wall. The Filmstudio Babelsberg is the oldest large-scale film studio in the world. Potsdam developed into a centre of science in Germany from the 19th century. Today, there are three public colleges and more than 30 research institutes in the city." (wikipedia)
Brandenburg Gate - at the entrance to the Old Town
The Gate was "built in 1770/71 by Carl von Gontard and Georg Christian Unger by order of Frederick II of Prussia. It stands at the western end of Brandenburger Straße, which runs in a straight line up to the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul."
"Towards the end of the Seven Years' War, Frederick the Great had the old gate demolished and built, in its stead, this new Brandenburg Gate, as a symbol of his victory. For that reason the Brandenburg Gate resembles a Roman triumphal arch. A feature of the Brandenburg Gate is that it has two completely different sides, designed by two architects. The two side entrances for pedestrians were not added until 1843, under Frederick William IV, in order to cope with the increase in pedestrian traffic. At that time people had to pass the Brandenburg Gate if they wanted to make their way to the town of Brandenburg, hence the name. Since the city wall was demolished around 1900 the Brandenburg Gate has been a free-standing structure." (wikipedia)
"The Old Market Square (Alter Markt) is Potsdam's historical city centre. For three centuries this was the site of the City Palace (Stadtschloß), a royal palace built in 1662. The palace was severely damaged by bombing in 1945 and demolished in 1961 by the Communist authorities. In 2002 the Fortuna Gate was rebuilt in its original historic position. The eastern side of the Market Square is dominated by the Old City Hall (Altes Rathaus), built in 1755 by the Dutch architect Jan Bouman (1706–1776). North of the Old Market Square is the oval French Church (Französische Kirche), erected in the 1750s by Boumann for the Huguenot community."(wikipedia)
A courtyard
"The Catholic Church of St. Peter and Paul is centrally located in downtown Potsdam and Brandenburg closes the road to the east, at the western end of the Potsdam Brandenburg Gate stands. The present church was completed in 1870 and served both the Potsdam parish (which now belongs to the Archdiocese of Berlin) and the Catholic soldiers who were stationed in the city. Since 1992, it has the status of a priory church." (wikipedia)
"Nauener Tor (Nauen Gate) is one of the three preserved gates of Potsdam, Germany. It was built in 1755 and is one of the first examples of the influence of English Gothic Revival architecture in Continental Europe. Nauener Tor is located in close proximity to the Dutch Quarter. Its users were the military and merchants, craftsmen and administrations." (wikipedia)
The Dutch Quarter
"The Dutch Quarter (Holländisches Viertel) is a neighborhood in Potsdam, consisting of 134 red brick buildings in the Dutch style, almost all of which have been renovated. It was built from 1733 to 1740 and designed by Jan Bouman (for the labours who built the Palace). It is considered as Europe's largest collection of Dutch-style houses outside the Netherlands." (wikipedia)
The Glienicke Bridge, used for exchanging spies during the Cold War
"The current bridge, the fourth on the site, was completed in 1907, although major reconstruction was necessary after it was damaged in the Second World War. During the Cold War, Glienicke Bridge was one of the few places in the world where the Soviet Union and the Western powers stood directly opposite each other. Thus, “deals” could be made here without any of their allies having any say in the matter. The bridge lies at an isolated point where the US-occupied sector of West-Berlin met Soviet-occupied Potsdam, which was in East Germany. The United States and the Soviet Union used it four times to exchange captured spies during the Cold War, and the Bridge was referred to as the Bridge of Spies by reporters." (wikipedia)
"Dampfmaschinehaus", i.e. the steam pump house - this is the house with the pipes to pump the water up to the fountains in the Sanssouci Palace
"The Steam Pump House, along the water of the Neustädter Havelbucht, is disguised within a building designed in the style of a mosque. It was built between 1841-1843 upon request of Frederick Wilhelm IV and under the direction of Ludwig Persius. Today, there remains a masterpiece of Berlin's 19th century mechanical engineering for you to marvel at: the Borsig steam engine model of 1842. It was used to pump the water from the Havel river up to the system of fountains in Sanssouci park. Inside the building a permanent exhibit provides information about the history of the building and the machine." (source: potsdam.de)
In Potsdam, one can also find quite many 'high-rise' residential buildings inside and surrounding the city
"Potsdam is divided into seven historic city districts and nine new Ortsteile (villages), which joined the city in 2003. The appearances of the city districts are quite different. The districts in the north and in the centre consist mainly of historical buildings, the south of the city is dominated by larger areas of newer buildings."
The first time I actually saw multi-colour ducks! ;-) They look so nice!
Some little 'cuties' that we found on a street
On the way driving back from Potsdam to Berlin
Potsdam, Easter Sunday 31.03.2013!
Related post: Part of Potsdam in summer
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