Hermitage

The Hermitage was a round woodland pavilion in the New Garden featuring a distinctive roof of reed covered with oak bark. This small structure served as an intimate retreat within the surrounding park landscape.

The pavilion was built in 1796 under architect Ludwig Ferdinand Hesse as part of a royal vision for the garden. It disappeared during the Cold War when the area became part of a border zone.

The name refers to the tradition of hermitage pavilions, small retreats designed for quiet reflection within garden landscapes. Visitors can walk through the garden and sense how such spaces were meant to offer solitude within nature.

The New Garden is free to enter daily and remains open until sunset with flat, walkable paths throughout. The site where the pavilion once stood can be located using garden maps available at the entrance.

The site sits in an area where thousands of plants were replanted as part of garden restoration after reunification. This means visitors walk through a landscape that continues to heal and transform itself.

Location: Potsdam

Inception: 1856

Architects: Ludwig Ferdinand Hesse

Part of: New Garden

GPS coordinates: 52.42100,13.07750

Latest update: December 14, 2025 09:44