Museumsportal Berlin

The privately owned and inhabited house is originated, in parts, from the 16th century. It was erected as hunting lodge fort he Brandenburg elector, after, due to the secularization, the grounds were passed, from the former ownership of the Spandau convent, to state ownership. In 1766, it came, by hereditary lease, to the house of the Familie von Humboldt, and was then given, due to distribution of the estate, to Wilhelm von Humboldt (1767-1835), who let it rebuild in 1820-24, by Karl Friedrich Schinkel, for his collection of especially ancient and classicist marble sculptures, marble relieves, and plaster casts. By the reconstruction, a house "in Greek style" arose, as Schinkels stated. The integrated concept of the museum which goes back on the education concept of Wilhelm von Humboldt, and where he was supported by Schinkel and Christian Daniel Rauch in its implementation is more or less the same up to today.
Schinkel did also design, in 1829, the family gravesite in the park. The columns with the sculpture of "Spes" by Bertel Thorvaldsen (copy by Friedrich Tieck) can be seen from the house. Here are the graves of Caroline (1829), Wilhelm (1835), and Alexander von Humboldt (1859) and their offspring. The park is open for the public.