Frederick the Great was a passionate collector of paintings. He was also the first to have his own building constructed for his collection. This is why the Picture Gallery is not only one of the most magnificent, but also one of the oldest preserved museum buildings in Germany.

It spoke far and wide of the artistic taste and wealth of the House of Hohenzollern. The building, which is rather plain on the outside, was built in 1755-1763 according to plans by Johann Gottfried Büring on the foundations of a former greenhouse next to Sanssouci Palace.

Interrupted in the central section by a tribuna, the hall extends almost the entire length of the building. The use of precious marbles and gilded stuccowork gives it a highly festive character.

Masterpieces by Caravaggio, Carlo Maratta, Guido Reni, Peter Paul Rubens and Anton van Dyck are presented in a dense hanging. "Doubting Thomas" by Caravaggio, one of the most famous works in the picture gallery, only entered the collection in the 19th century. On the side of the window, Friedrich once had sculptures by ancient and contemporary sculptors placed, most of which are now in other collections.