Sanssouci - Knowledge (XXG)

904: 559:. This analogy, though easy to understand, ignores the original merits of the concept behind Sanssouci, the palace for which the whole park and setting were created. Unlike the Trianons, Sanssouci was not an afterthought to escape the larger palace, for the simple reason that the larger palace did not exist at the time of Sanssouci's conception; and once it did, Frederick almost never stayed in the New Palace except on rare occasions when entertaining diplomats he wished to impress. It is true, however, that Sanssouci was intended to be a private place of retreat rather than display of power, strength and architectural merit. Unlike the Trianons, Sanssouci was designed to be a whole unto itself. 610:. This would have given the palace not only a more commanding presence, but also would have prevented the problems of dampness to which it has always been prone. However, Frederick wanted an intimate palace for living: for example, rather than scaling a large number of steps, he wanted to enter the palace immediately from the garden. He insisted on a building on the ground level, of which the pedestal was the hill: in short, this was to be a private pleasure house. His recurring theme and requirement were for a house with close connections between its style and free nature. The principal rooms, lit by tall slender windows, face south over the vineyard gardens; the north 2411: 1240: 1248: 852:, a draftsman interested in both architecture and landscape gardening, transformed the palace from the retreat of his reclusive great uncle into a fully functioning and fashionable country house. The small service wings were enlarged between 1840 and 1842. This was necessary because, while Frederick philosophised and played music at Sanssouci, he liked to live modestly without splendour. As he aged, his modesty developed into miserliness. He would not permit repairs to the outer 1452: 563: 386: 1710: 2718: 1479: 761: 703: 448: 49: 750:. The building occupies almost the entire upper terrace. The potential monotony of the façade is broken by a central bow, its dome rising above the hipped roof, with the name of the palace—remarkably, written with a comma and a full stop, viz. Sans, Souci.— on it in gilded bronze letters. The secondary side wings on the garden front are screened by two symmetrical rows of trees each terminating in free-standing 846:

into the guest rooms. The royal couple retained the existing furniture and replaced missing pieces with furniture from Frederick's time. The room in which Frederick had died was intended to be restored to its original state, but this plan was never executed because of a lack of authentic documents and plans. However, the armchair in which Frederick had died was returned to the palace in 1843.

1620: 2223: 1007: 542:) in the western part of the park. This far larger palace was in direct contrast to the relaxed ethos behind Sanssouci, and displayed Frederick's power and strength to the world, in the Baroque style. The design of the New Palace was intended to demonstrate that Prussia's capabilities were undiminished despite its near defeat in the 1134:

in 1786, is now in direct contrast to the rococo rooms. Here, the clean and plain lines of classicism now rule. However, Frederick's desk and the armchair in which he died were returned to the room in the middle of the 19th century. Portraits and once missing pieces of furniture from Frederick's time

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The principal entrance area, consisting of two halls, the "Entrance Hall" and the "Marble Hall", is at the centre, thus providing common rooms for the assembly of guests and the court, while the principal rooms flanking the Marble Hall become progressively more intimate and private, in the tradition

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Frederick regularly occupied the palace each summer throughout his lifetime, but after his death in 1786 it remained mostly unoccupied and neglected until the mid-19th century. In 1840, 100 years after Frederick's accession to the throne, his great-grandnephew Frederick William IV and his wife moved

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Frederick invested heavily in a vain attempt to introduce a fountain system in Sanssouci Park, attempting to emulate the other great Baroque gardens of Europe. Hydraulics at this stage were still in their infancy, and despite the building of pumping houses and reservoirs, the fountains at Sanssouci

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are two secondary wings, providing the large service accommodation and domestic offices necessary to serve an 18th-century monarch, even when in retreat from the world. In Frederick's time, these single-storey wings were covered with foliage to screen their mundane purpose. The eastern wing housed

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focused on the carefree aristocratic life and on light-hearted romance, rather than on heroic battles and religious figures. They also revolve around natural and exterior settings; this again suited Frederick's ideal of nature and design being in complete harmony. The palace was completed much as

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solved the problems a century later, and thus the reservoir finally fulfilled its purpose. From around 1842, the Prussian Royal family were finally able to marvel at such features as the Great Fountain below the vineyard terraces, shooting jets of water to a height of 38 metres. The pumping

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The palace and park of Sanssouci, often described as the "Prussian Versailles", are a synthesis of the artistic movements of the 18th century in the cities and courts of Europe. That ensemble is a unique example of the architectural creations and landscape design against the backdrop of the

968:. Thus, the Marble Hall was the principal reception room beneath the central dome. Five guest rooms adjoined the Marble Hall to the west, while the King's apartments lay to the east - an audience room, music room, study, bedroom, library, and a long gallery on the north side. 494:

ideal of harmony between man and nature, in a landscape ordered by human touch. Winemaking, however, was to take second place in the design of the palace and pleasure gardens. The hill on which Frederick created his terrace vineyard was to become the focal point of his

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and fashion, he also wanted to be surrounded by beautiful objects and works of art. He arranged his private apartments according to his personal taste and needs, often ignoring the current trends and fashions. These "self-compositions" in Rococo art led to the term

1700:, containing architectural work by Knobelsdorff was demolished in 1960, but Sanssouci survived unscathed and the East German government endeavoured to have Sanssouci placed on the list of World Heritage Sites. This was achieved in 1990 with the following citation: 1206:

in which were lodged those friends of the King considered intimate enough to be invited to this most private of his palaces. Two of Frederick's visitors were sufficiently distinguished and frequent that the rooms they occupied were named after them. The

883:. This new accommodation for ladies was vital: entertaining at Sanssouci was minimal during the reign of Frederick the Great, and it is known that women were never entertained there, so there were no facilities for them. Frederick had married 682:, the first neo-classical palace in Germany. As a result of his influence, Sanssouci became the first of the palaces in Potsdam and Berlin to be remodelled with a neo-classical interior. In 1797, Frederick William II was succeeded by 919:

In the Baroque tradition, the principal rooms (including the bedrooms and toilets) are all on the piano nobile, which at Sanssouci was the ground floor by Frederick's choice. While the secondary wings have upper floors, the

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and guests. This was a common arrangement in mid-19th-century households, which often had a corresponding "Bachelor's Wing" for unmarried male guests and members of the household. The rooms were decorated with intricate

1422:, which Frederick William I had laid out sometime prior to 1715. The Soldier King jokingly gave this simple garden the name "My Marly", in reference to the very similar garden at the summer residence of Louis XIV in 1215:

was frequently occupied by the philosopher during his stay in Potsdam between 1750 and 1753. The Voltaire Room was remarkable for its decoration, which gave it the alternative name of the "Flower Room". On a yellow

378:", and his feelings for the palace were so strong that he conceived it as "a place that would die with him". Because of a disagreement about the site of the palace in the park, Knobelsdorff was fired in 1746. 408:

was charged with improving the grounds and thus the view from the palace. The town of Potsdam, with its palaces, was a favourite place of residence for the German imperial family until the fall of the

652:, built between 1771 and 1775 as accommodation for guests and with rooms to entertain them. The building mirrors the Picture Gallery externally, thus adding to the symmetry of the Sanssouci ensemble. 975:, where the restrained form of the classical external colonnade was continued into the interior. The walls of the rectangular room were subdivided by ten pairs of Corinthian columns made of white 1724:

The library of Frederick was returned in 1992 to its former home at Sanssouci. Thirty-six oil paintings followed between 1993 and 1995. In 1995, the Foundation of Prussian Palaces and Gardens in

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was established to care for Sanssouci and the other former imperial palaces in and around Berlin. These palaces are now visited by more than two million people each year from all over the world.

1556:. Frederick had several temples and follies erected in the same rococo style as the palace itself. Some were small houses which compensated for the lack of reception rooms in the palace itself. 1505:

Following the terracing of the vineyard and the completion of the palace, Frederick turned his attention to the landscaping of the greater vicinity of the palace and thus began the creation of

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overlooked the forecourt. Here, again, Frederick deviated from French room design, which would have placed service rooms in this location. Recessed into the inner wall of this long room were

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of just ten rooms, including a service passage and staff rooms behind them. Frederick's amateur sketch of 1745 ('lillustrated above) demonstrates that his architect, Knobelsdorff, was more a

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occupied by the King occupies the full height of the structure. Comfort was also a priority in the layout of the rooms. The palace expresses contemporary French architectural theory in its

1111:, flowers and books on the overdoor reliefs were the work of Glume, and the ceiling paintings emphasise the rococo spirit of the palace. This exuberant form of ornamentation of rococo, 1721:, Frederick's casket was interred in the terrace of the vineyard of Sanssouci – in the still existing crypt he had built there – after dark, without pomp, in accordance with his will. 1142:

deviated from the spatial structure of French palace architecture. The room is almost hidden, accessed through a narrow passageway from the bedroom, underlining its private character.

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By contrast, the north entrance façade is more restrained. Segmented colonnades of 88 Corinthian columns—two deep—curve outwards from the palace building to enclose the semicircular

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dynasty. It eventually came under the protection of the Prussian "Verwaltung der Staatlichen Schlösser und Gärten" (Administration of National Palaces and Gardens) on 1 April 1927.

2072: 645:. The Picture Gallery is the oldest extant museum built for a ruler in Germany. Like the palace itself, it is a long, low building, dominated by a central domed bow of three bays. 2202: 722:

style of architecture for Sanssouci. The light, almost whimsical style then in vogue exactly suited the light-hearted uses for which he required this retreat. The Rococo style of

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wall panel were superimposed, colourful, richly adorned wood carvings. Apes, parrots, cranes, storks, fruits, flowers, garlands gave the room a cheerful and natural character.

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marble was used for the paired columns, above which stucco putti dangle their feet from the cornice. The dome is white with gilded ornament, and the floor is of Italian marble

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at Sanssouci than complete architect. Frederick appears to have accepted no suggestions for alteration to his plans, refusing Knobelsdorff's idea that the palace should have a

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This concept of a grand palace designed to impress has led to the comparison of the palaces of Potsdam to Versailles, with Sanssouci being thrust into the role of one of the

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hill at the centre of the park. The influence of King Frederick's personal taste in the design and decoration of the palace was so great that its style is characterised as "

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between 1745 and 1747 to meet Frederick's need for a private residence where he could escape the pomp and ceremony of the royal court. The palace's name is a French phrase (

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was built at the centre of this garden in 1748. Frederick never saw the fountain playing because the engineers employed in the construction had little understanding of the

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inlaid in compartments radiating from a central trelliswork oval. Three arch-headed windows face the garden; opposite them, in two niches flanking the doorway, figures of

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style, but in contrast with the heavier themes and darker colours of the Baroque, the Rococo was characterised by an opulence, grace, playfulness, and lightness. Rococo

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In his plans for the grounds, Frederick attached great importance on the combination of both an ornamental and a practical garden, thus demonstrating his belief that

1115:, was used in abundance on the walls and ceiling in the music room. Much of the work was by the sculptor and decorator Johann Michael Hoppenhaupt (the elder). A 1746 1211:

is named after the Count of Rothenburg, who inhabited his circular room until his death in 1751. This room balances the palace architecturally with the library. The

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in 1990, Frederick's body was returned to the palace and buried in a new tomb overlooking the gardens he had created. Sanssouci and its extensive gardens became a

511:("without a care") and to follow his personal and artistic interests. Hence, the palace was intended for the use of Frederick and his private guests—his sketch ( 393: 3063: 2759: 574:

upon a low ground floor. As a result, the palace failed to take maximum advantage of its location. Its windows are devoid of views, and seen from its lower

2435: 505:("my little vineyard house"), as Frederick called it. With its extensive views of the countryside in the midst of nature, Frederick wanted to reside there 3128: 482:. Two flanking service wings (hidden from view, screened by trees and covered by climbing plants) provide the necessary but mundane domestic offices. 3133: 3098: 3093: 1968: 3118: 3103: 2603: 2248: 1741: 1677:; only a small fraction were returned to the palace in 1958. The artistic pieces from Bernterode found by American soldiers were first shipped to 884: 261: 2959: 2428: 281: 1226: 995:

was responsible for gilded stucco works. The strict classical elegance was relieved by a painted ceiling executed by the Swedish-born painter

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ideals of courtly comfort, comprising two rows of rooms, one behind the other. The main rooms face the garden, looking southwards, while the

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was formed. The organisation's job is to administer and care for Sanssouci and the other former royal palaces in Berlin and Brandenburg.

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On 10 August 1744, Frederick ordered the bare hillside to be transformed into terraced vineyards. Three wide terraces were created, with

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and allowed them in the rooms only with great reluctance. This was ascribed to his wish that Sanssouci should only last his lifetime.

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in the Baroque style between 1763 and 1769, Erdmannsdorff, an advocate of the new neo-classical style, had created Schloss Wörlitz in

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Compared to many similar buildings, the palace fared well during almost 50 years under Communist jurisdiction in East Germany. The

3113: 2987: 2834: 659:, popular elsewhere in Europe but ignored by Frederick, now found its way to Potsdam and Berlin during the reign of the new king 1221: 3083: 3068: 2809: 2658: 2207: 1153:. The harmonious shades of brown augmented with rich gold-coloured Rocaille ornaments were intended to create a peaceful mood. 660: 397: 2814: 2794: 2163: 1693: 1271: 936:

thus consists of a main room and a servant's chamber. Doors connect the apartments with each other. They are arranged as an "

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storey, which would not only have provided service areas closer at hand, but would have put the principal rooms on a raised

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was enlarged to provide ample store rooms for the enlarged household, while the new upper floor provided staff bedrooms.

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Sanssouci around 1900; since then the flagpole and central bench have gone, and most of the trees; compare above right

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grew in the niches. The individual parts of the terrace were further divided by strips of lawn, on which were planted

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Frederick sketched his requirements for decoration and layout, and these sketches were interpreted by artists such as

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Following the end of the war, most of the items that had been moved to Rheinsberg were transferred as bounty to the

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in Sacrow and the centre of Potsdam were neglected, and some of the historic centre of Potsdam was demolished. The

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Following the death of Frederick a new era began, a visible sign of which was the change in architectural styles.

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The park was expanded under Frederick William III, and later under his son Frederick William IV. The architects

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the secretaries', gardeners' and servants' rooms, while the west wing held the palace kitchen, stables and a

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Continuing the horticultural theme of the terraced gardens, 3,000 fruit trees were planted in the park, and

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which once belonged to Frederick the Great remains as a nostalgic reminder of the room's original purpose.

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in 1733, but separated from his wife after his accession to the throne in 1740. The Queen resided alone at

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were placed around the basin of the fountain. This again was a feature copied from Versailles: figures of

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was commissioned with the garden design. Broad meadows created visual avenues between Charlottenhof, the

2982: 2895: 2859: 2142: 1600: 1396: 1333: 1270:. The area had previously been wooded, but the trees were felled during the reign of the "soldier-king" 1263: 1147: 1021:"Marble Hall" is the principal reception room of the palace. On the left side, in the purple coat, sits 751: 683: 409: 371: 2747: 2375: 1596: 929: 888: 1517:. A straight main avenue was laid out, ultimately 2.5 km long, beginning in the east at the 1748 686:; he visited Sanssouci even less frequently than his father, preferring to spend the summer months in 670:

The reception and bedrooms were renovated and completely altered immediately after Frederick's death.

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vista of the garden of Sanssouci is the result of Frederick the Great's decision to create a

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The East Wing. The two service wings, virtually hidden from sight by foliage in the time of

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floor to both wings. The kitchen was moved into the east wing. Frederick the Great's small

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received the commission for the refurbishment. While Frederick had been constructing the

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This article is about the royal palace in Germany. For the royal palace in Haiti, see

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The bookcases contained approximately 2,100 volumes of Greek and Roman writings and

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than Versailles. Containing just ten principal rooms, it was built on the brow of a

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MacDonogh, G. (1999) Frederick the Great, p. 200. New York: St. Martin's Griffin

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The west wing became known as "The Ladies' Wing", providing accommodation for

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and extended over the years to the New Palace, which marks its western end.

1510: 1509:. In his organisation of the park, Frederick continued what he had begun in 1399:, and two groups of hunters, allegories of the elements (wind and water) by 1306: 952: 804: 785: 471: 455: 2037: 1087:. It is decorated with paintings by French 18th-century artists, including 853: 611: 54: 2222: 2192: 2121: 1667: 1498: 1486: 1322: 1294: 1259: 1231:

designed the room between 1752 and 1753 from sketches made by Frederick.

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in Berlin after the separation, and Frederick preferred Sanssouci to be

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The palace has a single-storey principal block with two flanking side

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Twenty years following his creation of Sanssouci, Frederick built the

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of the 17th and 18th centuries with a heavy emphasis on the works of

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as his summer palace, it is often counted among the German rivals of

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remained silent and still for the next 100 years. The invention of

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were also erected, with representations of the goddesses Flora and

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A Musical Tour of Potsdam Sanssouci and the Bach Museum in Leipzig

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Sanssouci Palace and its reflection in the pond at Sanssouci Park

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