Ruinenberg, Artificial ruins garden on Sanssouci Park hill, Potsdam, Germany.
The Norman Tower rises 23 meters high on Ruinenberg, featuring Roman columns, a Doric rotunda, and theatrical ruins among mature trees.
Frederick the Great commissioned the site in 1748 as a water reservoir for Sanssouci fountains, but technical limitations transformed it into decorative ruins.
The architectural ensemble combines ancient Roman elements with medieval Norman influences, representing early European landscape garden design principles.
Visitors can access Ruinenberg from May through October on weekends between 10:00 and 18:00, with final entry permitted 30 minutes before closing.
The water basin at Ruinenberg mirrors the surrounding architectural elements, creating reflections of columns, rotunda, and pyramid structures.
Location: Potsdam
Inception: 1748
Architects: Peter Joseph Lenné
Elevation above the sea: 74.1 m
Part of: Sanssouci Palace
GPS coordinates: 52.40993,13.03863
Latest update: May 17, 2025 10:21
Sanssouci Palace
742 m
Orangery Palace
822 m
Bornstedt Crown Estate
548 m
Historic Mill of Sanssouci
680 m
Sanssouci Picture Gallery
754 m
New Chambers
723 m
Neptune Grotto
775 m
Winzerberg in Potsdam, Germany
817 m
Triumphtor
852 m
Bornstedt Church
681 m
Statue of Apollo by Konscha Schostak after François Gaspar Adam
850 m
Water basin Ruinenberg
14 m
Allegorical sculpture of Air (Return from the Hunt)
841 m
Allegorical sculpture of Water
837 m
Venus
832 m
Minerva
853 m
Villa Francke
615 m
Dutch Garden
753 m
Earth, Ceres teaches Triptolemos how to plow
880 m
Statue of Diana
864 m
Copy after François Gaspard Adam by Peter Flade - Statue of Juno
886 m
Garden pyramid Ruinenberg
33 m
Monopteros Ruinenberg
45 m
Sicilian garden
803 m
Ionian columns Ruinenberg
54 m
Sanssouci cattle watering place
535 m
Mars
868 m
Selloscher Friedhof
691 mReviews
Visited this place? Tap the stars to rate it and share your experience / photos with the community! Try now! You can cancel it anytime.
Discover hidden gems everywhere you go!
From secret cafés to breathtaking viewpoints, skip the crowded tourist spots and find places that match your style. Our app makes it easy with voice search, smart filtering, route optimization, and insider tips from travelers worldwide. Download now for the complete mobile experience.
A unique approach to discovering new places❞
— Le Figaro
All the places worth exploring❞
— France Info
A tailor-made excursion in just a few clicks❞
— 20 Minutes