Sanssouci is the summer residence of the Soldier King

Every monarch or ruler tried to outdo his predecessor. So it was in Ancient Egypt, when monuments were erected, and in the Middle Ages in Europe and Russia, when the emperors tried to conquer more, build more cities, build the richest palace or residence. Did not pass this fate and Germany under King Frederick the Great. Initially, there were vineyards of Sanssouci on the Bornstede hills. And then the palace and all the other buildings were already built.

History of the creation of gardens

Potsdam was based on swampy soil, and King Friedrich needed materials to strengthen the soil. He ordered to cut down the oaks growing on the slopes of the Bornstedi hills. Instead of trees in 1744 grape orchards were broken. In 1745 a decorative garden with a large fountain was laid under the hill. In the same year began the construction of the palace, or, as he called the king, a small winery house. After the completion of work on the construction of major facilities began to develop the neighborhood and build them. Thus appeared the palace park of Sanssouci.

It should be said that Frederick the Great had ascetic inclinations and a peculiar taste. The first forced him to check every item of expenditure and avoid excesses. The second is not to recognize fashion trends. Buildings were conducted in the Rococo style, while in Europe Classicism already dominated.

Small winery house

The palace of Sanssouci in Potsdam was thought not only as a private residence. The house did not allow women, including the king's wife. In general, the architecture is very thought out and tied to the terrain. To the right of the building is the Picture Gallery, and to the left - the New Chambers. There is no basement by the palace. This innovation (or rather the desire of the monarch) allowed to immediately enter the garden, without wasting time on tedious transitions along the stairs and galleries. By the standards of the time the palace was small - it had only a few rooms and rooms for guests. The palace of Sanssouci could not have been better than the desire of Frederick the Great to have a summer residence without disturbing the beauty of the surrounding nature.

In memory of the architectural creation in the Czech Republic there is a hotel with the same name. It is located in the spa zone of Karlovy Vary. The hotel "Sanssouci" does not look like an ancient residence. About royal luxury can be judged only by internal amenities and maintenance.

Park near the palace of Sanssouci

The palace park was also carefully considered by Friedrich the Great, as was the residence itself. In the vicinities of the vineyards, an ornamental garden was created, consisting of lawns, flower beds and woody plantations. Fruit plantations were planted, greenhouses were built for the cultivation of exotic fruits. The total area of the park is 290 hectares, the length of all avenues and paths is 70 kilometers. The palace park of Sanssouci is considered to be the largest monument of architecture and garden art in Brandenburg.

Above the hill were created artificial ruins and a fountain, which was supposed to feed water vineyards. However, the masters made a mistake in the calculations, and the pressure of water was not enough for the intended purpose. In addition, in the park were erected buildings, which today constitute its architectural ensemble. This is Neptune's Grotto , New Palace, Tea House, Antique Temple, Friendship Temple, Dragon Lodge, Art Gallery and many others.

Complementing the picture is the Windmill, which brings the residence closer to the style of the countryside. In it you can not only admire the beautiful view, but also learn about the technology of making bread. The most notable in the park is the Tea House. However, the exterior decoration is much more interesting than the interior. For lovers of garden art will be interesting garden of Marley.

Sanssouci today

To date, the palace and the park are open to tourists. Service personnel try to keep all natural and architectural objects in their original form. Pictures from the gallery periodically undergo restoration. There is a gradual restoration in the park, since 1964. Thanks to such care, all parts of Sanssouci are open to visitors all year round.

Information for tourists

It is not difficult to get to the palace and the park, especially if the tourists have already arrived in Germany. Sanssouci, as already mentioned, is located near Potsdam, 20 km from the capital. From Berlin, there are regular buses. You can also get there by train.

Visiting the park, the palace and all the objects on its territory is paid. You can pay only for visits to certain buildings or purchase a premium subscription. In the very building of the palace you can get to, only if you join the excursion. Excursions are also paid and conducted in different languages. At different times of the year, the cost of visits is also different. But you can take pictures only by special permission, for which you have to pay a fee. But despite this, the ensemble of Sanssouci is worthy of both admiration and a repeated visit.