Schönhausen Palace, Baroque palace in Niederschönhausen, Germany
Schönhausen Palace is a three-winged baroque structure set along the Panke river and surrounded by gardens. The interior rooms show various architectural styles and periods, reflecting designs from architects Nering and Eosander von Göthe.
The building was constructed between 1691 and 1693 for Frederick I of Prussia as a royal residence. It later served from 1949 to 1960 as the official seat of the president of the German Democratic Republic.
The palace carries the name and forms of its time as a royal Prussian residence, yet later became the seat of the GDR president and today displays these two worlds side by side. One can trace the different periods that shaped this place through its rooms and furnishings.
The interior is mainly accessible through guided tours that offer access to the state rooms. The surrounding park remains open year-round for visitors to stroll through at their own pace.
During the Seven Years War in 1760, Russian troops damaged the building significantly, leading to a subsequent redesign in the Rococo style. The marks of this wartime damage and the restoration that followed remain visible in the architecture today.
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