May 11, 2017
Located a mile (1.6 km) west of Potsdam’s city center is Park Sanssouci. At 700 acres (2.8 sq. km), it is the largest park in Brandenburg and has around 43.5 miles (70 km) of walkways. The name Sanssouci is derived from a French phrase sans souci, which translates to “without concerns.” The park is home to Palace Sanssouci, the Rococo-style Hohenzollern palace designed by Prussian painter and architect Georg Wenzeslaus von Knobelsdorff between 1745 and 1747, to serve as King Frederick’s summer palace and place of relaxation. The New Palace, which stands in the western section, was completed in 1769 to celebrate Prussia’s victory in the Seven Years’ War. Nearby is the Temple of Friendship, built in memory of King Frederick’s sister Markgravine Wilhelmine of Bayreuth who died in 1758. Park Sanssouci was listed among the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1990.
