Marmorpalais

The main building and the terrace of the Marble Palace in Potsdam's New Garden rise above the banks of a lake called the Heiliger See. Panoramic views of both the Havel River landscape that reach as far as Peacock Island, as well as into the spacious park complex itself, allow the visitor to experience this location's unique atmosphere even today. Frederick William II chose this space for the building of his summer residence (1787-93). In keeping with contemporary taste, the king had the palace built in the Neoclassical style by Carl von Gontard and Carl Gotthard Langhans. The palace and its gardens were reserved for the private life of the artistically inclined king. After 1881 the Marble Palace served as a residence for the later Emperor William (II) and his wife Auguste Victoria, and until the completion of Cecilienhof Palace in 1917, Crown Prince William and his family also lived here. The Grotto Hall, the Concert Hall and the living areas of the king are luxuriously furnished with marquetry, silk wall coverings, stuccowork, marble fireplaces, paintings and decorative arts. The valuable English Wedgwood ceramics are particularly noteworthy.