Berlin, April 30th, 2021. Update: September 20th, 2026 (The Berlin Spectator) — The Charlottenburg Palace Gardens will never be surpassed regarding their elegance, except maybe by Sanssouci Park in Potsdam. It all started with a village called Lietzow. Some three hundred and thirty years ago, on June 30th, 1695, it was given to Sophia Charlotte of Hanover, as a compensation for a country estate she had returned to her husband Friedrich III. It is not a coincidence that this place, which is a Berlin borough today, was renamed Charlottenburg in 1705, after the early death of the Queen consort in Prussia.
Prototype of Elegance
In the late 17th century, the village already included a summer residence. Over time, the small residence turned into a big one. Then, it became a small palace. The latter got a separate opera house, an orangery and a dome. At some point, the servants got two side buildings which were connected to an extended version of the palace years later. Step by step, the building developed into what is known as Charlottenburg Palace today. During air raids in 1943, it was damaged badly. After the war, the reconstruction began. In 1957, the palace’s dome was repaired.
Charlottenburg Palace is one of Berlin’s main sightseeing spots. But Berliners love going there too, also because of the nice park behind it, which is known as Charlottenburg Palace Gardens. Whew, we finally got to the part we wanted to reach.
Even hundreds of years ago, these gardens were the prototype of elegance, as an old drawing from the year 1700 proves. Sophia Charlotte’s gardeners must have spent a lot of time planting flowers, cutting hedges and keeping the whole thing in excellent shape, back then, when the palace was still tiny and cute, and when it was protected by a forest on its southern side, where Spandauer Damm, a major traffic artery, is located today.
Air and Quietude
The area between that street and the palace is turned into a nice Christmas market every year, in late November. At some point, this yearly event was supposed to be cancelled, but it returned anyway. As opposed to the dozens of other Christmas markets Berlin has, this one has a lot of space, and just the right atmosphere, thanks to the lit palace next to it. Especially in spring and summer, the Charlottenburg Palace Gardens on the northern side of the impressive building are the place to be.
Countless dog owners use plastic bags to clean up after their four-legged companions. Even more mothers push strollers up and down the alleys, in order to give their babies some good air and quietude. The latter is interrupted on a regular basis, by a guy with a get-out-of-my-way attitude who wears sunglasses and headphones and sits on a big, self-propelled lawnmower.
Unknown Breed
Somewhere in between those hundreds of flowers and the hedges which are still being trimmed by professionals, 300 years later, there is a nice Palace Fountain and a big carp pond. Ducks and bigger birds of an unknown breed use it as their personal swimming pool. Just sitting there, looking at it and doing nothing is a popular activity.
There is even more water, since the Charlottenburg Palace Gardens are located right next to the Spree river. During those nice walks they take, people can watch all of those boats pass by. Further north, a playground in the woods will enthuse kids up to 12 years of age. A few dozen sheep consume a lot of grass on one of the many pastures there, during the warm season. On hot days, many of them just enjoy siestas in the shade.
Decorations and Porcelain
With its baroque decorations, Charlottenburg Palace opens to the public Tuesdays to Sundays from 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. from November to March). People who like porcelain should definitely go there, but leave their elephants at home. The Mausoleum, the Belvedere, the New Pavilion in the park and the statue of Friedrich Wilhelm in front of the courtyard can be admired too.
The only downside at this wonderful park to the north of the palace is the fact that far too many individuals seem to be using its bushes as bathrooms. Staying on the official paths is a good idea. The Berlin Spectator’s reporter learned it the hard way. He had to clean his right shoe in the tiny creek the park features as well.
