Babelsberg Palace
Babelsberg Palace is located in the same park and district of the Brandenburg state capital Potsdam. For over fifty years, it was the summer residence of Prince William, the future Emperor Wilhelm I and his coming from the House of Saxe -Weimar wife Augusta. The castle and the adjacent park, the conversation between King Wilhelm I and Bismarck took place on September 22, 1862, which ended with the appointment of Bismarck as Prime Minister and Foreign Minister. Designed in the style of English Gothic style building was built in the years 1835-1849 in two phases. The contract for the planning were the architect Karl Friedrich Schinkel, Ludwig Persius and Johann Heinrich Strack.
Babelsberg Castle is under the administration of the Foundation for Prussian Palaces and Gardens in Berlin -Brandenburg and a World Heritage Site within the overall ensemble Potsdam under the protection of UNESCO. The architecture of the castle Babelsberg served Schinkel student Friedrich Hitzig 1848-1853 as a template for the construction of Castle Kitten village in Mecklenburg County Demmin.
History
For some time now targeted Prince William to the construction of their own summer palace. After much hesitation approved King Friedrich Wilhelm III. 1833 his second son a new building on the Babelsberg. That same year, Karl Friedrich Schinkel began planning. He lay before design drawings of a gothic castle appearing that have already been created in 1831 by his master student Ludwig Persius for the royal couple. In addition to the clean lines of the then generally prevailing Classicism and the Gothic architectural style of English origin corresponded to the prevailing taste, mixed with a glorified view of the Middle Ages. In the romantic setting castles were viewed as symbols of a united German nation.
Princess Augusta had worked intensively with the style of English Gothic and acquired solid knowledge. Through its entrenched idea of the appearance of the castle there were constant disagreements with the architect. Schinkel planned modest Gothic forms. The difficult building owner wanted but - according to their personal tastes - through rich decor, especially in the interior. Another problem was that the king granted only for a castle in the size of a country house funds. Thus, the overall plan could not at first be realized.
In the first phase the smaller part of the complex was built. Large windows with Gothic elements allow plenty of light into the interior of the yellow brick building. An extension in the form of an octagon was used as a dining room and on the subsequent conversion as a tea. The almost to the floor going lancet windows, lined up close to each other, giving many sightlines freely in the landscape. In October 1835, the first part of the castle was inaugurated.
Since the marriage of the reigning since 1840 King Frederick William IV had no children, his younger brother William was appointed as his successor. Due to the added responsibilities, the castle seemed too small and not representative enough. The execution of the overall design could begin. Even during the planning died Karl Friedrich Schinkel 1841. His successor, Ludwig Persius tried to maintain the Schinkel plan, but had to be just like its predecessor the constant change requests bend Augusta. The connection to the recent expansion of manufactures over two storeys dance hall. Its octagonal floor plan takes the form of tea rooms again. In the new West Wing, among many other areas homes for the children of the prince and princess and a hall-like dining room were provided. A mighty tower forms the conclusion. When the foundations were for cultivation, also died Persius 1845.
The contract for the continuation was Johann Heinrich Strack. His architectural ideas corresponded more to the taste of the building owner. The clear structure of the facade has now been abandoned by turrets, bay windows and various window shapes and corresponded to the architecture that you ' later called, castle style. After the completion of the west wing, the second inauguration took place in October 1849.
After the death of William I. 1888 imperial successors preferred other castles as a residence. The furniture was lost in looting after 1945. In 1953, the Academy of State and Law of the GDR used some rooms. The lecture halls were located in new buildings from the 1950s behind the castle, which are now demolished. 1954-1957 was housed the School for Film and Television in Babelsberg Castle, which was established in the premises of the castle.
From 1970, the building housed a Museum of Prehistory and Early History. After the turn of the palace from 1992 for museum purposes was prepared.
2012 to 2015 the Babelsberg Castle is extensively renovated.