Charlottenburg Palace

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  Charlottenburg Palace in Berlin.

• Charlottenburg Palace Gardens, view over the fountain basin and the parterre to the palace

• Charlottenburg Palace Gardens with Charlottenburg Palace in the background.

• In summer temperatures, people enjoy the weather on a walk in Charlottenburg Palace Gardens.

• Golden Gallery in the Neuer Flügel.

Charlottenburg Palace is the largest palace complex in Berlin. Rebuilt and expanded many times throughout history, it has much to offer visitors.

Charlottenburg Palace is located in the western part of Berlin and is embedded in a beautiful garden. With its orangery, palace park and ancillary buildings, the former summer palace is now Berlin's largest palace complex. Over the course of history, it was rebuilt and expanded many times and thus reflects the development of contemporary taste in a compressed manner.

Located in the district of the same name , Charlottenburg Palace was built between 1695 and 1699 based on designs by the architect J. Arnold Nering. It was initially intended as a small pleasure palace for Sophie Charlotte, wife of Elector Frederick III. After the Elector's was crowned first king of Prussia in 1701, the palace was expanded by the architect Eosander von Göthe into a more representative seat based on the Versailles model. The central middle building with its eleven window axes was supplemented by side wings and a court of honor. The most characteristic building element of the palace - its oversized dome - was also added during this phase.

How the Palace Got Its Name

When Sophie Charlotte died in 1705, the palace as well as the nearby village were named in her honor. With the death of King Frederick I in 1713, construction was abandoned and continued only under Frederick the Great in 1740. Based on designs by the architect Knobelsdorff, who also designed the fampus Sanssouci Palace in Potsdam, a new wing in the east was built between 1740-46 as a counterpart to the older west wing with the Orangery. The palace theater was added as a final component in 1791 according to plans by Carl Gotthard Langhans. This extension of the Orangery marked the end of almost 100 years of construction. After Charlottenburg Palace was severely damaged in World War II, its restoration and rebuilding took over two decades.

Current Use

Today, Charlottenburg Palace can be visited as a museum. Two permanent exhibitions display a collection from the Hohenzollern silver chamber that includes over 600 gems, treasures and precious items. Visitors can also gain insight into the reign and history of the powerful Hohenzollern family. In the summer, visitors often lose track of time while strolling through the beautiful palace gardens. Each winter, a popular Christmas market takes place in front of the magnificent backdrop of Charlottenburg Palace.

Information

• Address:
  Spandauer Damm 10
  14059 Berlin
  City map
• Opening Hours: November to March: Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am till 4:30 pm ; April to October: Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am till 5:30 pm
• Accessibility: Barrier-free access at the Old Palace entrance. Service column with bell and intercom located to the left of the building projection in the center. Parts of the upper floor are accessible by elevator. Barrier-free restrooms on the first floor of the palace.
• Admission Fee:
  Adults € 12, reduced fee € 8, audioguide included
• Tickets: Book tickets
• Website: spsg.de/en