Charlottenhof Palace 🇩🇪

Located southwest of Sanssouci Palace in Sanssouci Park at Potsdam, Germany, Charlottenhof Palace is a former royal summer residence steeped in royal history. Originally built between 1826 and 1829, architect Karl Friedrich Schinkel and his student Ludwig Persius transformed an existing farmhouse into a small Neoclassical palace modeled after a Roman villa for Crown Prince Frederick William (later King Frederick William IV of Prussia) and his wife Elisabeth Ludovika.

You will discover a remarkable palace whose ten interior rooms remain largely intact, showcasing simple, cultivated furniture designed primarily by Schinkel himself. When you explore the palace, look for its most distinctive space: the tent room fashioned after a Roman Caesar's tent, featuring blue-and-white striped wallpaper, window treatments, and bedding—a design theme reflected on the palace's window shutters to honor Crown Princess Elisabeth's Bavarian heritage.

Surrounding the palace, the gardens designed by landscape architect Peter Joseph Lenné convert a once marshy area into a serene English garden with trees, lawns, and water features that connect seamlessly to the older Sanssouci Park. Today, this beautiful UNESCO World Heritage Site is lovingly maintained by the Prussian Palaces and Gardens Foundation Berlin-Brandenburg.

What to see at Charlottenhof Palace

• Authentic Neoclassical architecture designed in the image of an ancient Roman villa.
• Largely intact interior design featuring original furniture crafted by Karl Friedrich Schinkel.
• The iconic Caesar's tent room decorated with striking blue-and-white striped furnishings where Alexander von Humboldt stayed.
• Lush English gardens filled with trees, lawns, and water features designed by Peter Joseph Lenné.

Visiting tips

Take advantage of convenient direct regional train connections from Berlin Central Station or Potsdam Central Station to nearby Potsdam-Park Sanssouci or Potsdam-Charlottenhof stations.

How long: 1-2 hours · Best time: Summer

How to get there & what’s nearby

Charlottenhof Palace is easy to reach on Potsdam’s public transport, and pairs naturally with Sanssouci Palace and Cecilienhof. For where to stay, the weather and full itineraries, see our Potsdam travel guide.