Babelsberg Palace, Potsdam, Germany

Babelsberg Palace lies in the eponymous park and quarter of Potsdam, the capital of the German state of Brandenburg. For over 50 years it was the summer residence of Prince William, later Emperor William I and his wife, Augusta of the House of Saxe-Weimar. On 22 September 1862 in the palace and adjoining park the discussion between King William I and Bismarck took place that ended with the nomination of Bismarck as Minister President and Foreign Minister of Prussia. The building, designed in the English Gothic style, was built in two phases over the period 1835–1849. The contract to plan the palace was given to the architects Karl Friedrich Schinkel, Ludwig Persius and Johann Heinrich Strack.

Babelsberg Palace is managed by the Berlin-Brandenburg Foundation for Prussian Palaces and Gardens (Stiftung Preußische Schlösser und Gärten Berlin-Brandenburg) and is protected by UNESCO as a world heritage site within the Potsdam ensemble. The architecture of Babelsberg Palace formed the template for the construction of Kittendorf Palace between 1848 and 1853 in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, by Schinkel's pupil, Friedrich Hitzig.

Since 2013, the Palace is undergoing an intense renovation of its facades and interiors.

References:

Wikipedia

User Reviews

Bailey stockton (3 years ago)
The park is really nice however The actual attraction were late open. Almost 2 hours regardless of their online schedule and in front of the door hours. I couldn’t get inside even though I pay for another ticket because no one was there even though I would almost 2 hours after 10 o’clock when. They opened

Pavlo Mykytyn (4 years ago)
A cool looking tower, situated on a hill that overlooks the lake. Although it was closed when we visited, we still enjoyed the surrounding. The operational months are May-October. Nearby you can find many cool little castles and structures.

Jon Kernow (4 years ago)
Great place for a stroll around the park. The tower is usually open to view in the summer on weekends and Bank Holidays. Great views of Potsdam and lovely place to watch the sunset.

Hernán Javier Martín Martín (5 years ago)
Beautiful restored castle. The park around it is a great place to go out for a walk in nature.

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Photo from Flickr, copyright caminanteK

Historic Site of the week

Château de Foix

The Château de Foix dominates the town of Foix. An important tourist site, it is known as a centre of the Cathars. Built on an older 7th-century fortification, the castle is known from 987. In 1002, it was mentioned in the will of Roger I, Count of Carcassonne, who bequeathed the fortress to his youngest child, Bernard. In effect, the family ruling over the region were installed here which allowed them to control access to the upper Ariège valley and to keep surveillance from this strategic point over the lower land, protected behind impregnable walls.

In 1034, the castle became capital of the County of Foix and played a decisive role in medieval military history. During the two following centuries, the castle was home to Counts with shining personalities who became the soul of the Occitan resistance during the crusade against the Albigensians.

Babelsberg Palace

Address

Details

More Information

Rating

Interesting Sites Nearby

User Reviews

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Finest Norman castles in Italy

Exploring the History of Northern Poland

Discovering Slovenia's Historic Wonders

Historic Site of the week

Château de Foix