Orangery Palace, Renaissance Revival palace in Sanssouci Park, Potsdam, Germany
Orangery Palace is a 300-metre-long Renaissance Revival building with a central pavilion and twin towers, joined to a 103-metre Plant Hall whose south side has almost ceiling-to-floor windows. The western hall keeps its original floor duct heating system. The royal apartments in the corner building were outfitted in the second Rococo style.
Prussian King Friedrich Wilhelm IV commissioned architect Friedrich August Stüler to build this palace between 1851 and 1864. The structure arose from the king's passion for romantic architecture and his collecting pursuits.
The Raphael Hall displays copies of Renaissance paintings hung on red silk walls, originating from Friedrich Wilhelm III's collection. These works allowed visitors to encounter Italian masterpieces without traveling to Italy.
A visit is easiest during the warmer months when the Plant Hall is in full bloom and the gardens remain easily accessible. Comfortable shoes are essential, as the site requires walking through different areas.
The bronze archer in front of the palace is a memorial to King Frederick William IV, erected by his wife Elisabeth after his death in 1861. The king had sketched the palace himself, inspired by Italian villas he studied in Paris publications and on his 1828 journey to Italy.
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