Sanssouci

Sanssouci

A palace without cares

In the city of Potsdam, just outside Berlin, stands one of the most charming royal palaces in Europe: Sanssouci. Its name comes from the French for "without cares", and that is exactly what it was meant to be — a place where the King of Prussia could escape the burdens of ruling and lose himself in music, gardens and conversation. Long, low and elegant, the palace sits atop a flight of terraced vineyards, a jewel of the rococo style.

Frederick the Great's retreat

Sanssouci was built between 1745 and 1747 for King Frederick II of Prussia, known as Frederick the Great — one of the most famous rulers of the 1700s, a brilliant general but also a lover of the arts, philosophy and music. Frederick himself sketched ideas for the palace, and it was designed to be relatively small and intimate, a personal retreat rather than a grand official residence.

Here the king played the flute, wrote, and gathered around him philosophers, writers and musicians, including, for a time, the famous French thinker Voltaire. Sanssouci was a place of ideas and culture as much as of royal leisure.

A rococo jewel

The palace is a masterpiece of the rococo style — light, graceful and richly decorated with gilded ornament, flowers, vines and playful detail. Its rooms, such as the beautiful Marble Hall and the king's library and music room, are among the finest of their age. Everything was designed for elegance and pleasure rather than grandeur or display.

In front of the palace, the terraced vineyards and gardens descend in steps, with a great fountain and statues, while behind stretch extensive parklands dotted with other palaces and pavilions built by Frederick and his successors.

Frederick's beloved place

Frederick the Great loved Sanssouci above all his other residences. He spent his summers here for decades, and he asked to be buried in its grounds, among his beloved dogs, on the terrace overlooking the gardens. After many twists of history, his wish was finally honoured, and his simple grave can be seen there today, often marked by visitors who leave potatoes in memory of the king who encouraged his people to grow them.

A UNESCO treasure

Sanssouci and the great park around it, with its many palaces and gardens, are protected by UNESCO as one of the largest and finest palace-and-garden landscapes in Europe. Together they form one of the great cultural treasures of Germany.

Visiting today

Visitors can tour the elegant rococo rooms of the palace, walk the famous terraced vineyards and the surrounding park with its fountains and pavilions, and visit Frederick the Great's grave on the terrace. The whole park rewards a long, peaceful exploration. Graceful, intimate and full of the spirit of its remarkable king, Sanssouci is one of the most beloved palaces in all of Germany.