Sanssouci Palace

Background

Sanssouci stands in Potsdam, Brandenburg, Germany, about 25 kilometres south-west of Berlin. It was Frederick the Great's summer palace, built in the Rococo style with a single storey and ten principal rooms in one row, on top of a terraced vineyard hill. Sanssouci Park around it holds further garden buildings such as the Picture Gallery, the New Palace, the Neptune Grotto and the Chinese House; in 1990 Sanssouci and its gardens were inscribed on the World Heritage List as part of the "Palaces and Parks of Potsdam and Berlin". The palace was built from 1745 to 1747 by Knobelsdorff, following the king's own sketches; the architect was dismissed in 1746 after a dispute over the site, and the Dutch architect Jan Bouman completed it. The name comes from the French "sans souci", meaning "without worries": this was the king's place of rest, not a seat of power. In the 19th century, under Frederick William IV, Ludwig Persius restored and enlarged the palace. The park's Picture Gallery, completed between 1755 and 1764, is considered the oldest surviving museum built for a ruler in Germany.

Local customs

• Climb the vineyard terraces to see the palace's south façade
• go inside for the Marble Hall and the concert room
• spend half a day strolling Sanssouci Park to see the Picture Gallery and the Chinese House.

Travel tips

• Admission to the palace is by fixed time slot and daily tickets are limited, so buy online in advance
• opening seasons and hours are subject to the official website, and the palace is usually closed on Mondays. The park is free to enter, and a day trip from Berlin is easy.
• Take a train or S-Bahn from Berlin to Potsdam, then a bus to Sanssouci Park, which is best explored on foot. In spring and summer the park's flowers and trees are at their best
• in winter the park is bare and the palace's opening hours are shorter.