Schloss Sanssouci is a historic palace in Potsdam, near Berlin, built by the Prussian king Frederick the Great as his summer palace and often counted among the German rivals of Versailles, though it is in the more intimate Rococo style and far smaller than its French Baroque counterpart. It was designed and built by Georg Wenzeslaus von Knobelsdorff between 1745 and 1747, and though little more than a large single-story villa with just ten principal rooms, King Frederick's personal taste so shaped its design that its style is characterised as Frederician Rococo. Sanssouci and its extensive gardens became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1990, and the palace and its surroundings are now visited by more than two million people each year.
Facts
Year Created LocationPotsdam, near Berlin, Germany 1 Architectural StyleRococo (Frederician Rococo) 1 Primary MaterialStuccoed masonry, with sandstone garden-front sculpture and detailing 1 Building TypeRoyal summer palace and private retreat 1 Commissioned ByPrussian King Frederick the Great 1 Construction Storey Count UNESCO Inscription Year Current UseMuseum property cared for by the Prussian Palaces and Gardens Foundation Berlin-Brandenburg 1 Visitor AccessVisited by more than two million people each year from all over the world 1 In the Other Atlases
- Also in Geography Atlas: Germany, located there.
Sources
1. Sanssouci (Wikipedia)
WikipediaIntroduction
Schloss Sanssouci (German pronunciation: [ˈsãːsusi]) is a historical building in Potsdam, near Berlin.
Architecture
Executed in sandstone, these figures of both sexes represent Bacchants, the companions of the wine god Bacchus, and originate from the workshop of the sculptor Friedrich Christian Glume.
Introduction, patron
Built by Prussian King Frederick the Great as his summer palace, it is often counted among the German rivals of Versailles.
Introduction, style
While Sanssouci is in the more intimate Rococo style and is far smaller than its French Baroque counterpart, it is similarly notable for the numerous temples and follies in the surrounding park.
Introduction, name meaning
The palace's name is a French phrase (sans souci) meaning "without worries" or "carefree", emphasising that the palace was meant as a place of relaxation rather than a seat of power.
Introduction, building dates
The palace was designed and built by Georg Wenzeslaus von Knobelsdorff between 1745 and 1747 to meet Frederick's need for a private residence where he could escape the pomp and ceremony of the royal court.
Introduction, scale
Sanssouci is little more than a large, single-storey villa-more like the Château de Marly than Versailles.
Introduction, UNESCO listing
Sanssouci and its extensive gardens became a World Heritage Site in 1990 under the protection of UNESCO; in 1995, the Prussian Palaces and Gardens Foundation Berlin-Brandenburg was established to care for Sanssouci and the other former imperial palaces in and around Berlin.
Introduction, visitor numbers
These palaces are now visited by more than two million people each year from all over the world.
Genre reference
Schloss Sanssouci is a historic palace in Potsdam, near Berlin, built by the Prussian king Frederick the Great as his summer palace and often counted among the German rivals of Versailles, though it is in the more intimate Rococo style and far smaller than its French Baroque counterpart.
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