Babelsberg Palace (german: Schloss Babelsberg) lies in the eponymous park and quarter of

Potsdam Potsdam () is the capital and, with around 183,000 inhabitants, largest city of the German state of Brandenburg. It is part of the Berlin/Brandenburg Metropolitan Region. Potsdam sits on the River Havel, a tributary of the Elbe, downstream o ...

, the capital of the German state of

Brandenburg Brandenburg (; nds, Brannenborg; dsb, Bramborska ) is a state in the northeast of Germany bordering the states of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Saxony, as well as the country of Poland. With an area of 29,480 sq ...

, near

Berlin Berlin ( , ) is the capital and List of cities in Germany by population, largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's List of cities in the European Union by population within ci ...

. For over 50 years it was the summer residence of Prince William, later German Emperor

William I William I; ang, WillelmI (Bates ''William the Conqueror'' p. 33– 9 September 1087), usually known as William the Conqueror and sometimes William the Bastard, was the first Norman king of England, reigning from 1066 until his death in 10 ...

and King of Prussia and his wife, Augusta of the

House of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach (german: Sachsen-Weimar-Eisenach) was a historical German state, created as a duchy in 1809 by the merger of the Ernestine duchies of Saxe-Weimar and Saxe-Eisenach, which had been in personal union since 1741. It was raised ...

, German Empress and Queen of Prussia. Along with the surrounding park and other parks in the area, the Babelsberg Palace was inscribed on the

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...

World Heritage list A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for ...

in 1990 for its architectural cohesion and its testimony to the power of the Prussian monarchy.

History

The building, designed in the English Gothic revival style, was built in two phases over the period 1833–1849. The contract to plan the palace was given to the architects

Karl Friedrich Schinkel Karl Friedrich Schinkel (13 March 1781 – 9 October 1841) was a Prussian architect, city planner and painter who also designed furniture and stage sets. Schinkel was one of the most prominent architects of Germany and designed both neoclassic ...

, who was in charge of the works until his death, in 1841, Ludwig Persius and Johann Heinrich Strack. On 22 September 1862 in the palace and adjoining park the discussion between King William I of Prussia and Otto von Bismarck took place that ended with the nomination of Bismarck as Minister President and Foreign Minister of Prussia. The architecture of Babelsberg Palace formed the template for the construction of Kittendorf Palace between 1848 and 1853 in

Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (MV; ; nds, Mäkelborg-Vörpommern), also known by its anglicized name Mecklenburg–Western Pomerania, is a state in the north-east of Germany. Of the country's sixteen states, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern ranks 14th in po ...

, by Schinkel's pupil, Friedrich Hitzig.

World Heritage Site

Since 1990, Babelsberg Palace has been part of the UNESCO

World Heritage Site A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...

Palaces and Parks of Potsdam and Berlin Palaces and Parks of Potsdam and Berlin (german: Schlösser und Gärten von Potsdam und Berlin) are a group of palace complexes and extended landscape gardens located in the Havelland region around Potsdam and the German capital of Berlin. The ter ...

". The palace is administered by the '' Stiftung Preußische Schlösser und Gärten Berlin-Brandenburg''. Since 2013, the palace has been undergoing an intense renovation of its facades and interiors. Schloss Babelsberg um 1900

Gallery

File:Schloss Babelsberg - Erzengel Michael (Babelsberg Palace - Archangel Michael) - geo.hlipp.de - 30233.jpg, Archangel Michael File:Fratin - Schloss Babelsberg - DSC4295.jpg, Eagle and vulture devouring a deer File:Schlossturm Babelsberg (Babelsberg Palace Tower) - geo.hlipp.de - 30232.jpg, Palace Tower File:Schloss Babelsberg-DE168.JPG, ''The Palace of Prince Wilhelm at Babelsberg by'' Carl Daniel Freydanck, 1838

References

* Amtlicher Führer der Stiftung Preußische Schlösser und Gärten Berlin-Brandenburg: ''Park und Schloss Babelsberg''. 3rd edition, 1999 * Gert Streidt, Klaus Frahm: ''Potsdam. Die Schlösser und Gärten der Hohenzollern''. Könemann Verlagsgesellschaft mbH. Cologne, 1996. * Georg Poensgen: ''Schloss Babelsberg''.

Deutscher Kunstverlag The Deutscher Kunstverlag (DKV) is an educational publishing house with offices in Berlin and Munich. The publisher specializes in books about art, cultural history, architecture, and historic preservation. History Deutscher Kunstverlag was fo ...

, Berlin 1929.

External links

Babelsberg Palace on the website ''Stiftung Preußische Schlösser und Gärten''
{{Karl Friedrich Schinkel Houses completed in 1849 World Heritage Sites in Germany

Babelsberg Babelsberg () is the largest quarter ('' Stadtteil'') of Potsdam, the capital city of the German state of Brandenburg. The affluent neighbourhood named after a small hill on the Havel river is famous for Babelsberg Palace and Park, part of the Pala ...

Potsdam Babelsberg Buildings and structures in Potsdam Tourist attractions in Potsdam 1849 establishments in Prussia Museums in Potsdam Historic house museums in Germany Royal residences in Brandenburg Karl Friedrich Schinkel buildings William I, German Emperor

History

World Heritage Site

Gallery

See also

References

External links