Köpenick is a beautiful palace and a wonderful park. It's nice to take a walk, relax on a bench, enjoy the silence in the middle of the metropolis, feed ducks and swans, ride a boat, have a bite to eat in a restaurant in the park.
Köpenick Palace (Schloss Köpenick), photo by Stefan D
Köpenick Palace (Schloss Köpenick) and the palace park are located in the center of the district of Berlin, bearing the same name. The palace is located on an island formed by the bend of Damme (a tributary of the Spree), which is connected to the shore by the Lange Brücke bridge. The calm beauty of the baroque Köpenick is enhanced by the surrounding water and centuries-old trees, while the well-preserved interiors harmoniously complement it.
From the fortress to the palace
Palace and park, photo tel33
Köpenick Island is one of the earliest settlements in Berlin. In the VIII-IX centuries there was a Slavic fortress. In the middle of the 16th century, the old building existing on this site was demolished. In 1558, Elector Joachim II Hector built a hunting castle here in the Renaissance style. After Joachim died during the Thirty Years War, the palace was the residence of King Gustav II Adolf.
In 1677, by order of Elector Frederick III of Brandenburg, who later became Prussian King Frederick III, a serious reconstruction of the palace began. It was led by an architect from the Dutch city of Nimwegen, Rutger Van Langervelt. In 1679 - 1682, the Northern Pavilion of the palace was built.
Palace Church, photo René
Replacing Langervelt, the architect Johann Arnold Nering built a palace church and an outbuilding. The Prussian king Frederick III later settled in this palace with his wife Elizabeth Henrietta of Hesse-Kasselskaya.
Branch of the Museum of Decorative and Applied Arts
Wardens, wolf photo
In 1994, large-scale restoration works began in the palace, after which May 27, 2004 the palace opened as a branch of the Berlin Museum of Decorative and Applied Arts as part of the State Museums of Berlin (Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation). The main building of this museum is located on Potsdamer Platz at the Cultural Forum.
Exposition, photo René
In the basement of the museum valuable archaeological exhibits are displayed, showing the history of the settlement of these places. On the next 3 floors, a collection of furniture, works by local craftsmen, gold and silverware, a collection of china, and baroque interiors are preserved in many rooms.
The Köpenick Palace hosts temporary exhibitions of contemporary art and folk crafts. Chamber orchestras perform in the concert hall and in the chapel of the palace.
The Köpenick Summer is celebrated every year in the palace. There are performances, concerts, fashion shows and other events.
How to get there
Take the tram 27, 60, 61, 62, 63, 67, 68 to the Schloßplatz Köpenick stop.
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