Charlottenburg Palace is Berlin’s best-preserved example of the architectural passions and skills of the Prussian kings. In 1695, Johann Arnold Nering was commissioned to build a small country house for Sophie Charlotte, wife of Elector Frederick III. Nering died before the house was completed, but work was continued by Martin Grünberg and later by Johann Eosander Göthe. Grünberg was responsible for the two side wings built to house the Electoral entourage and servants, and Göthe added the protruding element to the center of the façade to provide support for the enormous 50-meter-high dome, today one of Berlin’s most striking buildings . sights.
The exquisite Orangery was built in 1712 and in 1746 the New Wing with its two banqueting rooms was added. During the reign of Frederick William II in 1788, a small theater was also added, as well as the Belvedere teahouse in the park. Elector Sophie Charlotte, later the first Queen of Prussia, hosted lavish parties and balls at the palace and during the reign of Frederick the Great it was the setting for many large family gatherings. In the 19th century, Princess Liegnitz, wife of Frederick William III, as well as Frederick William IV, lived here. The facade of this impressive palace is 505 meters long, and although badly damaged during the Second World War, much effort and expense went into restoring it inside and out, including replacing the golden figure of Fortuna that crowned the dome.
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The new wing and the old palace
Most of the most beautiful rooms available to view in Charlottenburg are located in the beautiful New Wing (Neuer Flugel), are Historic apartments carefully restored to their original form and decoration. At the west end of the central range are the apartments once occupied by Frederick I, including his bedroom, study, the beautiful Red Plait Room and an audience hall, as well as that of his second wife, Sophie Charlotte, the most notable of which includes an audience chamber , an anteroom and residential apartments. Highlights of these rooms are their many Chinese lacquer furniture and European imitations, as well as inlaid and carved furniture from around 1700. Also notable are the paintings by Pesne, Weidemann and other artists, as well as rich tapestries by the Berlin manufacturer Charles Vigne. The Palace Chapelthe scene of King Frederick William II’s wedding to Countess Julie von Ingenheim in 1787, has also been completely rebuilt.
On the east side of the central range, on the ground floor, are the Oak Gallery – still used for chamber music concerts – and the apartments occupied by Frederick William and Frederick William III. These lavishly appointed rooms feature fine examples of chinoiserie and furniture, as well as many paintings from the Biedermeier period. On the top floor of this wing are the apartments of Frederick the Great, including his two richly decorated rococo houses State Rooms. The State dining roomalso called the White Room, has walls with stuccowork in imitation of pink marble, while its length is 42 meters Golden Gallery has a riot of decoration in gilt stucco. Also important, in the Old palaceare some beautiful Baroque rooms, including the beautiful Porcelain cabinet, home to one of Germany’s most important collections of porcelain. There are also a number of valuable works made of gold and silver on display, including the Crown Jewels, royal silver and a beautiful display of porcelain tableware.
Charlottenburg Palace Park
One of the most popular parks in Berlin, the Charlottenburg Palace Park was originally laid out in the French style in 1697 by Siméon Godeau, converted into an English landscaped park in the 19th century and then restored to its original Baroque form after World War II. Highlights include the small iron bridge at the carp pond from 1800 and a marble obelisk by Braco Dimitrijevic from 1979. Also notable is the beautiful New pavilion (Neue Pavilion) built by Karl Friedrich Schinkel in 1788 in the style of a Neapolitan villa for Frederick William III and his second wife, Princess Liegnitz. The building houses an important collection of arts and crafts made by Schinkel. In the northern part of the park is the Belvedere teahousebuilt by Carl Gotthard Langhans and now housing a collection of fine Berlin porcelain from the 18th and early 19th centuries.
On the west side of the park, at the end of an avenue of tall fir trees, stands a small Doric temple, the Mausoleum, columns are made of Brandenburg granite. Built by Heinrich Gentz as the final resting place of Queen Luise, it was completed in 1812 and extended in 1841 and 1889. The mausoleum is accessed by a staircase of eight steps leading to the room containing the sarcophagus and a statue of Queen Luise, both by Christian Daniel Rauch. The queen, depicted as sleeping with hands folded and draped in a loose garment, was accompanied 30 years later by her husband, buried here in a sarcophagus also made by Rauch and accompanied by a statue depicting him in a simple military cloak . Later burials include Prince Albert (1837-1906); Emperor William I (1797-1888) and his wife Empress Augusta (1811-90); and Princess Liegnitz, second wife of Frederick William III (1800-73). The heart of Frederick William IV (1795-1861) is in a stone coffin.
The large courtyard
The statue of the Great Elector, Frederick William of Brandenburg, stands proudly in the great courtyard of the Charlottenburg Palace and is one of Berlin’s most beautiful Baroque statues. Frederick William’s son, Elector Frederick III, commissioned this monumental piece by Andreas Schlüter to honor his father as the founder of the states of Brandenburg and Prussia. The casting of the statue began in 1700 and the monument was ceremonially unveiled in 1703 on the Elector’s birthday. The Great Elector, partly represented in Roman and partly in contemporary dress, is adorned with a bronze breastplate and a flowing full-length wig, holding his baton in a graceful gesture. On the marble base is a finely modeled shield with a Latin inscription dedicated by the son to his father, and at each end are chained slaves symbolic of Prussia’s ancient enemies. The statue originally stood on the Town Hall Bridge (Rathausbrücke), but while the ship was being transported to safety in 1943, the boat carrying it sank in Tegel harbour. It was recovered in 1949 and was eventually erected in the Charlottenburg courtyard in 1952.
Touring Charlottenburg Palace
English-language tours of many of the palace’s highlights are available. For those who want to go it alone, audio guides can be purchased as MP3 files prior to your visit. Guided private tours for groups and families can also be arranged in advance.
Tips and tactics: how to get the most out of your visit to Charlottenburg Palace
The following tips and tactics will help you get the most out of your visit to Berlin’s Charlottenburg Palace:
- Dinner concerts: An opportunity to dine like Prussian royalty is available through an excellent program of dinner concerts. Chamber orchestra music is provided by costumed musicians from the Berlin Residence Orchestra, and a private tour of the Historic Apartments is included in the package.
- Access: Wheelchair accessibility is only available on the ground floor of the Old Palace and Charlottenburg Palace. Wheelchair accessible toilets are available.
Transport to Charlottenburg Palace
- On foot: Charlottenburg Palace is located within walking distance of the city center at Spandauer Damm 10-22, close to many of Berlin’s top tourist attractions.
- By bus and tram: Charlottenburg Palace is easily accessible by Berlin bus services (Routes 309, 109).
- By U-Bahn (underground): The nearest metro station is Sophie-Charlotte-Platz.
- By train: Berlin is well served by major railway lines from all over Europe and Germany. The main terminus is Berlin Central Station (Hauptbahnhof) – one of the busiest train stations in Europe – which is connected to the city’s main attractions and other train stations via bus, tram and metro networks.
- On the road: As with most major European cities, much of Berlin’s city center is designated as pedestrian only. If driving is a must, park on the outskirts of the city and use public transport.
- parking: Limited public parking is available on site for 80 vehicles.
Address
- Charlottenburg Palace – Old Palace, Spandauer Damm 10-22, D-14059, Berlin
- www.spsg.de/en/palaces-gardens/palaces-gardens-single/schloss-charlottenburg-altes-schloss/
What’s nearby?
Given its central location, Charlottenburg Palace is close to many of the capital’s most popular tourist attractions. Two of the closest are located across the street: the Brohan Museum with its rich collections of art nouveau and art deco works, and the Berggruen Museum with its many beautiful pieces of modern art by people like Picasso.
It is about a seven minute drive from Charlottenburg Palace Berlin Olympic Stadium built in 1934-36 for the 1936 Summer Olympics. Today the stadium hosts music concerts, football matches and other major sporting events.
Charlottenburg Palace is also close to the world famous Kurfürstendamm (known to locals simply as Ku’dam), Berlin’s most popular shopping street and promenade. The department stores, specialty shops, elegant boutiques and countless hotels, restaurants and cafés – many with terraces and winter gardens – as well as cinemas and theaters attract many people looking for entertainment and fun.
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