Charlottenburg Palace Guide

Charlottenburg Palace is the largest surviving royal residence in Berlin and the clearest place to see how the Prussian court lived. It began as a country house in the 1690s for Sophie Charlotte, wife of the future first King in Prussia, and grew into a long Baroque palace with a tall central dome crowned by a gilded figure of Fortuna. It lies in the west of the city, away from the central sights, and rewards a separate half day. It is a good contrast with the museums of the east, which we cover in our Museum Island guide.

What you see

Start in the courtyard, where Andreas Schlüter's bronze equestrian statue of the Great Elector stands before the facade. The Old Palace holds the royal apartments, including a famous Porcelain Cabinet whose walls are covered with Chinese and Japanese ceramics. The New Wing was added for Frederick the Great, with a Golden Gallery in rococo style and a long run of rooms that feel lighter than the older ones. The palace was badly damaged in the Second World War and rebuilt, so much of what you see is careful restoration. Tickets and the parts of the palace that are open vary, so check the official site.

The garden and its neighbours

The Schlossgarten behind the palace is the best part on a fine day: formal Baroque parterres near the building, then a landscaped park running down to the Spree, with a small mausoleum for Queen Louise and Frederick William III. Walkers and joggers use it daily. Across the road from the palace, two museums in matching 1850s buildings by Stüler, the Museum Berggruen and the Scharf-Gerstenberg Collection, reward a stop for modern art lovers.

Getting there and what to combine

The palace is a short walk from the Sophie-Charlotte-Platz U-Bahn station on the U2, or from Richard-Wagner-Platz on the U7, and a few bus routes stop outside. From there, you can ride east to Kurfürstendamm and City West for lunch and shopping, which makes a tidy western day. It also suits a fourth day, as we suggest in our 3-day itinerary.

We would skip the palace if you have only two days, and spend that time in Mitte. With four, it is among the most civilised things you can do in the city.