Friedrichsfelde Palace


The Friedrichsfelde Palace is a Neoclassical-style building in the centre of the Tierpark Berlin in Berlin-Friedrichsfelde. It was property of various noble Prussians and occasionally owned by Prussian Kings. Currently, the palace offers exhibitions about its history and is a place for musical concerts.

History of the palace

Formerly constructed around 1695 by architect Johann Arnold Nering as Rosenfelde Palace, the building received its current name in 1699 since Frederick I of Prussia came into possession of the palace. In 1719, architect Martin Heinrich Böhme expanded the dimensions of the building on behalf of its new owner, Margrave Albert Frederick of Brandenburg-Schwedt. Thus, Friedrichsfelde Palace was equipped with new baroque stairs and the size of the facade was extended. 1762, the building became property of Prince Augustus Ferdinand of Prussia, brother of Frederick the Great. He aspired to rebuild the palace completely. However, he discarded his plans for Friedrichsfelde Palace and instead used them for the construction of Bellevue Palace in Berlin-Mitte. Sold several times in the course of the following decades, Friedrichsfelde Palace received its neoclassical appearance in 1800. In summer 1816, Carl of Treskow acquired the building and hired the Prussian landscape architect Peter Joseph Lenné to transform the park of the palace into an English landscape garden.
The palace remained in possession of family Tresckow until May 1945, when the Red Army conquered the palace. The building itself overcame World War II with only a few damages. The restorations of Friedrichsfelde Palace started in 1967. Since 1981, the building is used for musical concerts and as a museum.