Sanssouci palace in Potsdam: things to see and entrance times

Just like Paris has the wonderful palace of Versailles, Berlin has the grandiose Palace of Sanssouci, a rococo castle built by Frederick the Great, King of Prussia, between 1745 and 1747, and then enlarged by Frederick William IV in 1841 with the addition of two wings. The Palace of Sansoucci (from the French words "sans souci," which means "no worries” and represented the monarch’s way of life) is located precisely in Potsdam, a town southwest of the German capital, and it was declared a UNESCO world heritage site in 1990.

The building is known all over the world for its treasures starting with the Marble Hall, inspired by the Pantheon in Rome, which at the time of Frederick the Great served as a party room. No less striking is the valuable library of about 2100 volumes of poetry, Greek and Roman historiography, French literature of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, and the Audience Hall, which was often used as a dining room as depicted by the painter Adolph von Menzel in his famous painting "Tavolata at Sanssouci". However, according to many art experts, the most beautiful room of the castle is probably the Concert Hall, finely decorated with paintings, mirrors and carvings.

Then there are the splendid park that stretches for about 290 hectares and the vineyard terraces of Sanssouci Palace. The park was built in the Baroque style and a straight avenue up to 2.5 km long characterizes it; here you can find flowerbeds, hedges and over three thousand fruit trees. Roundabouts interrupt the avenue with fountains surrounded by marble statues, from which smaller avenues originate and lead to other areas of the park. At the center of it, all stands a huge fountain with water games, surrounded by twelve marble statues of gods and allegorical representations. The terraced vineyard is situated on the southern slope of the Sanssouci’s hill, which is accessed by a main staircase of 132 steps and 2 ramps side.
Other attractions of the park include the cave of Neptune, the Chinese home, the Neues Palais, the temple of friendship, the temple of antiquity and the portal of the obelisk.

The Palace of Sanssouci is located in Potsdamer Platz 1 in Potsdam. The site is easily accessible from Berlin directly on the subway or by other public transportation. The site is open every day, except on Mondays, from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm (from 11/1 to 3/31) and from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm (from 4/1 to 10/31). The price of the ticket is 12,00 euros, reduced 8,00 euros.