Schloss Charlottenburg, Berlin

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Charlottenburg Palace is now the largest palace in the Berlin Area. Construction work started in 1695 for a new summer residence for Sophie Charlotte who was the wife of Friedrich III, Elector of Brandenburg. After his wife died in 1705 Friedrich named the palace and surrounding estate Charlottenburg in memory of Sophie Charlotte. Over the years the palace which started with only the cental section was gradually expanded with a frontage of 505 metres and the extensive gardens laid out. During WW2 the palace was severely damaged but has now been fully restored to its former glory.

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Do you feel like getting away from the remnants of 20th century history to the early days of the Electors of Brandenburg? Charlottenburg Palace is the place to visit. It's the largest palace in Berlin; its construction started in 1695: Elector Frederick III had it built as a summer palace for his wide, Sophie Charlotte, and called it "Lietzenburg Pleasure Palace". After Sophie Charlotte's death it was named after her. Construction actually took place in several stages, spanning over 100 years, beginning with the central section, then the central tower, then the wings, the orangerie, the annexes...

In the coutryard there is an impressive Baroque statue of the Great Elector, Frederick William of Brandenburg, founder of the State of Brandenburg and Prussia, on horseback. You can see his frightened enemies almost trampled by his horse. This statue was commissioned by the Great Elector's son, Frederick III, to honor his father, and was unveiled on July 12th, 1703, the Elector's birthday. It used to stand elsewhere, was removed in 1943 and sent on board a ship for safety, but the ship was overloaded and sank in Tegel Harbor. After the statue was recovered, it was relocated to the courtyard of Charlottenburg Palace, which seems the natural setting for it.

The palace tour leads you through the historic apartments of Frederick I, Sophie Charlotte and Frederick the Great, with stucco decorations, antique furniture, paintings, porcelain, chinoiserie...

There is free entrance to the park behind the palace, a landscape garden reconstructed after WWII, with a small part laid out in French style resembling the earlier layout of the original park.

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A place that I really wanted to visit as it was highly recommended by my friends who live in Berlin. The castle was built by King Friedrich II of Prussia for his wife Charlotte. It is filled with a grand art collection, and provides a glimpse into the life of Friedrich II and Charlotte, their fellow Prussian nobility, and other German history.

You must leave any bags you have with an attendant . NO PHOTOS are allowed inside, but you can snap as many as you want of the beautiful park that surrounds the castle. Ensure that you have enough time to enjoy the gardens as well, they are well worth a nice stroll.

My feet hadn't even been on the beautiful Berlin soil more than an hour before I was on my way to see the Schloß Charlottenburg!

When I was first researching for my trip to Berlin, I knew I wanted to see it badly, and I wasn't disappointed. It was built by King Friedrich II of Prussia for his wife Charlotte. It is filled with a grand art collection, and provides a glimpse into the life of Friedrich II and Charlotte, their fellow Prussian nobility, and other German history.

Admission price was "reasonable," and you must leave any bags you have with an attendant (and we had no problems with anything being stolen). NO PHOTOS are allowed inside, but you can snap as many as you want of the beautiful park that surrounds the castle. (A good place to make good use of your jogging shoes, too.)

Enjoy it!

After all the grim and rather depressing world war II and East german sites and of course all the rain it was a real pleasure to have some sun and see the Schloss Charlottenburg. Built late 17th century, its a good looking baroque palace with even better looking halls, rooms, hallways etc etc. Excellent for a look at how things were in these days. A stroll through would have been very nice too but sadly enough we didnt have time for that.

Inside its palace wings are also exhibitions rooms for changing exhibtions and a "troje museum", which shows some findings from Schliemanns excavation expedition to Troje.

Schloß Charlottenburg, the largest and most beautiful palace in Berlin, is a shining example of baroque architecture.
It was built from 1695–99 as a summer residence for Sophie Charlotte, the consort of Elector Friedrich III., to plans by Johann Arnold Nering and Martin Grünberg, though at first only the central part was actually built. In 1701, after the coronation of the Elector as King Friedrich I. of Prussia, the palace was extended by Eosander von Göthe in the style of the palace at Versailles: the main building was extended and side axes were created around the courtyard. In addition, the Great Orangery was constructed on the western wing, while a domed tower with tambour crowned the main building. Knobelsdorff constructed the eastern wing from 1740–46. From1787–91, Carl Langhans constructed the palace theatre as an extension to the orangery wing.
The palace was badly damaged during the WWII, and rebuilding work began in the 50th. The splendor of the Berlin Baroque is particularly apparent in the Great Oak Gallery, a banqueting hall with magnificent carvings which was completed in 1713, and the Porcelain Room, with its valuable collection of Chinese and Japanese china. Other impressive rooms include the banqueting halls from 1740–47, the White Room and the Golden Gallery, a rococo room in soft pastel tones with rich golden ornamentation. The former theatre is now the home of the Museum for Pre- and Early History, whose most famous exhibits come from Heinrich Schliemann's excavations at Troy.
The palace park grounds, one of the most idyllic oases in the city, is a favored spot for both tourists and Berliners. The park features a mausoleum constructed by Schinkel in the style of a temple, which contains amongst other the sarcophagi of Queen Luise and Friedrich Wilhelm II., designed by Christian Daniel Rauch. The belvedere, formerly a teahouse and built by Langhans at the same time as the theatre, now displays an exhibition on the history of royal porcelain manufacture.

At one time, a long, long time ago, in a world we no longer know, the Schloss Charlottenburg would have been the showcase it was designed to be. I monument to having more money than Toyota or Bill Gates. Walking through the Schloss is certianly worth the time. It is a very pretty place, with wonderful rooms and exhibitions of life in the luxury lane. The down side is that they don't allow pictures inside the Schloss.

Schloss Charlottenburg is worth a visit. Very beautiful interior and a glimpse into the lives of the lucky people who inhabited it. Some historical perspective about Berlin also of course. Makes a change from just focusing on the 20th century and World War II.

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Photos:
1. Charlottenburg Palace
2. Statue in the palace garden
3. The palace from a bridge in the garden
4. Walking towards the palace on Schlossstraße = Palace Street

From the excellent English-language audio guide we learned that this palace was originally built by Elector Frederick III as a summer residence for his wife Sophie Charlotte in 1699. It was later expanded into a royal palace after Frederick became the first Prussian King, Friedrich I.

The palace was severely damaged by allied bombing in 1943, but was carefully reconstructed after the war.

Behind the palace is a large park which was originally a formal French Baroque garden. In the 18th and 19th centuries it was gradually transformed into an English-style landscape garden. After the Second World War a small part right behind the palace was again laid out in the original French style.

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This unique baroque palace is one of the few reminders left in Berlin's former glory and greatness of the Hohenzollern dynasty. Originally called Schloss Lietzenburger and was designed by Arnold Nering. After the second world war, the reconstruction was a priority and in 1966 when its restoration was completed, the equestrian statue of the great elector of Andreas Schluter came to the courtyard facing the main door.

Este incomparable palacio barroco es uno de los pocos recuerdos que quedan en Berlin del antiguo esplendor y la grandeza de la saga Hohenzollern. Originalmente se llamó Schloss Lietzenburger y fue diseñado por Arnold Nering. Tras la segunda guerra mundial, la reconstruccion se hizo prioritaria y en 1966, cuando se completó su restauración, la estatua ecuestre del gran elector de Andreas Schluter volvio al patio frente a la puerta principal.