Germany

Pfaueninzel Palace

Pfaueninzel Palace is a small, pretty castle with a park. It was built by the king for his mistress. The palace is stylized as ruins and looks a bit fake. You can only get to it by ferry.

Palace Pfaueninsel (Schloss Pfaueninsel), photo TsungTsung Wu

The name Pfaueninzel translates as Peacock Island. The park and the Pfaueninsel Palace (Schloss Pfaueninsel) are really located on a small island (1.5 km long and 0.5 km wide) surrounded by stunningly beautiful nature. Only a ferry can get there. The island is a nature reserve, so you can’t ride bicycles, skateboards and skis here; spoil the nature; disturb the birds; to smoke. The island does not sell food.

Romantic love story

In the XVII century there was a rabbit farm, then the alchemist lived until his laboratory was burned down. For a hundred years the island was empty, right up to the 18th century. The further history of the island is a love story of the twenty-year-old crown prince Friedrich Wilhelm and the thirteen-year-old daughter of the palace trumpeter, whose name was Wilhelmina Enke. Two years later, this illegal couple had their first child (there were four in total), and Wilhelmina became the official favorite.

Pedestrian bridge between the towers, photo riesebusch

In 1794, the king decided for his long-term girlfriend to build a palace on the island, then peacocks were brought to the island, and he got the current name. Over the year, a wooden palace appeared on the island - a small cube with two towers connected by a pedestrian bridge, first wooden, and later metal. The gates on the facade of the building were painted. The palace in the form of romantic ruins was erected by the palace carpenter Brendel.

Drawn gate, photo by Wolfgang Staudt

Wilhelmina in 1796 received the title of Countess, and a year later, Frederick Wilhelm II died and the favorite was "demoted." The owner of the palace was the son of Frederick William II, making it his favorite residence.

Palace and park today

Palace and park Pfaueninsel, photo by riesebusch

Two architects worked on the palace building - Karl Friedrich Schinkel and Peter Joseph Lenne. The palace is built in the English style. The 2nd floor of the building was completely erected, and the 3rd floor was left unfinished. Today in the palace a museum dedicated to the history of Peacock Island and the Pfaueninzel Palace is open.

Fountain in the park, photo riesebusch

Flowerbed, photo by michael.berlin

Around the castle there is a park, a kitchen, a hunting lodge and other farm buildings were built on its territory. The park from 1821 to 1834 was designed by Peter Joseph Lenne according to the English model. Today it is a landscape park where trees alternate with green meadows. In summer, one lawn is reserved for lovers of grass!

View of the palace from the river, photo Karin

Working hours

From April to October: VT-Sun 10:00 - 17:30;
Mon day off.
Closed from November to February.

Tickets

A full ticket costs € 6;
preferential - € 5.

How to get there

By city train to Berlin Wannsee station, then by bus 218 to Peacock Island, and then by ferry.

Popular Posts

Category Germany, Next Article

Rome in February
Cities of Italy

Rome in February

Most tourists consider the last month of winter not the best time to get to know the Eternal City - they are afraid of the unpredictable weather characteristic of Rome in February. But those who were not afraid of the changeable weather in Rome in February, and visited the Italian capital in the offseason, confidently say that this time is much better for sightseeing and walking around the city than a hot summer.
Read More
How to get to Rome from Fiumicino Airport
Cities of Italy

How to get to Rome from Fiumicino Airport

Fiumicino or, as it is also called, Leonardo da Vinci is Italy’s largest passenger airport, receiving the largest number of flights, and therefore with a high degree of probability it can be assumed that your trip to Italy will begin from here. However, getting to Fiumicino is another saying: the Rome airport is quite far from the city itself.
Read More
All airports of Rome
Cities of Italy

All airports of Rome

You can get to the Italian capital in several ways, but faster and most conveniently - by plane. Just a couple of hours of flight and you are in Rome. Guests of the Eternal City are met by two airports - Fiumicino and Ciampino, located in the suburbs of the capital. In the 30s of the last century, another airport operated in Rome - Urbe, but during the Second World War it was badly damaged as a result of the bombing and after restoration it was transferred to the city flying club.
Read More
Palermo airport and how to get to the city
Cities of Italy

Palermo airport and how to get to the city

A common myth: all Sicilians are mafioso, or at least do not impede the criminal activities of clans. This is far from the case. Otherwise, Palermo airport would not have been named in honor of two irreconcilable fighters against the mafia, who died tragically at her hands - judges Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino. Now their names on the plaque at the entrance to the terminal serve as a reminder to the whole world that justice exists and is inevitable.
Read More