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Schloss Charlottenburg – Part 1: The Palace Gardens and Grounds

Schloss Charlottenburg in Berlin

Schloss Charlottenburg in Berlin was built as a summer palace for Sophie Charlotte, by her husband, the Elector Friedrich III.

At the time of its construction the palace was in the village of Lietzow and was named Lietzenburg but both the palace and area were renamed Charlottenburg after Sophie Charlotte’s death in 1705.

The Schloss

Sophie Charlotte was a devoted patron of the arts and sciences and her palace was beautifully decorated and appointed.

The ornate gates and cupola of Schloss Charlottenburg in Berlin

Schloss Charlottenburg in Berlin seen from the fountain in The Palace Gardens

The Cupola at Schloss Charlottenburg in Berlin seen from The Palace Gardens

The inside of the palace is so breathtaking that it deserves a post of its own.

The Gardens

The Palace Gardens at Schloss Charlottenburg are in keeping with the grandeur of the palace itself.

It costs €12 to enter the Old Palce but access to the gardens is free so if you are limited by budget or time it’s worth the trip to Charlottenburg just to stroll here.

The Palace Gardens of Schloss Charlottenburg in Berlin

Schloss Charlottenburg in Berlin seen from the far side of the Carp lake in The Palace Gardens

The Palace Gardens of Schloss Charlottenburg in Berlin

The rear view of Schloss Charlottenburg in Berlin seen from The Palace Gardens

The Mausoleum

The Mausoleum, designed by Heinrich Gentz, with further additions by Karl Friedrich Schinkel, was built to house the remains of the Hohenzollern family.

The Mausoleum in The Palace Gardens of Schloss Charlottenburg in Berlin

For €2 you can enter the Hall of Remembrance in the Mausoleum to see the four marble grave statues of Queen Luise (Königin Luise), King Frederick William III (König Friedrich Wilhelm III), Kaiser William I (Kaiser Wilhelm I) and Queen Augusta (Kaiserin Augusta).

Grave Statue of Kaiser Wilhelm I in The Mausoleum in The Palace Gardens of Schloss Charlottenburg in Berlin

Grave Statues of Koenig Friedrich Wilhelm III and Koenigin Luise in The Mausoleum in The Palace Gardens of Schloss Charlottenburg in Berlin

Marble Eagle in The Mausoleum in The Palace Gardens of Schloss Charlottenburg in Berlin

The Altar in The Mausoleum in The Palace Gardens of Schloss Charlottenburg in Berlin

The Belvedere

The Belvedere houses the Berlin Porcelain Museum – a collection of more than 700 exhibits.  Originally built in 1788 to plans by Karl Gotthard Langhans to serve as a tea house it was rebuilt in 1971, having been destroyed in World War II.

The Belvedere, which houses the Berlin Porcelain Museum, seen through trees in the Palace Gardens of Schloss Charlottenburg in Berlin

The Belvedere, which houses the Berlin Porcelain Museum, in the Palace Gardens of Schloss Charlottenburg in Berlin

A gold statue atop The Belvedere in the Palace Gardens of Schloss Charlottenburg in Berlin

The Statues

The grounds and gardens of Schloss Charlottenburg are dotted with statues of varying styles.

A statue of a child carrying a lamb in The Palace Gardens of Schloss Charlottenburg in Berlin

A statue in the grounds of Schloss Charlottenburg in Berlin

An Angel Statue in the grounds of Schloss Charlottenburg in Berlin

A statue of Friedrich der Grosse (Friedrich II) in the grounds of Schloss Charlottenburg in Berlin

A trip to Schloss Charlottenburg would be on my must see list for anyone who is spending more than a couple of days in Berlin.  My visit here featured in my Almost 1 Year in Berlin post, a list of my highlights from my first twelve months in the city.

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