December 16, 2011

CHARLOTTENBURG PALACE

Schloss Charlottenburg is an early 18th century baroque palace in Berlin's western Charlottenburg district. The building burned to the ground during the Second World War but has been completely reconstructed.
Charlottenburg palace is the largest palace in Berlin. The original, central part was constructed between 1695 and 1699 as the summer residence for Sophie Charlotte, wife of the Elector of Brandenburg, Frederick III.
 
 A statue of the goddess Fortuna was placed on top of the 48 meter tall at the copula
 
 The palace was hit in 1943 during an allied air raid causing a fire which completely destroyed the building. After the war the palace was meticulously reconstructed.
 
 The interior was just as beautifully reconstructed. The royal rooms are open to visitors, such as the Oak Gallery, paneled with oak and lined with oil paintings.

 

 The porcelain gallery, decorated with mirrors, has a fine display of Chinese porcelain. 
Other interesting rooms include the White Hall...
 
  the rococo style Golden Gallery....
 
   and The Gallery of the Romantics, which has a collection of paintings from the German Romantic period
 
 

the green room...
 
  the Schlosskapelle, the completely reconstructed palace chapel.

 
 

the grand staircase to the second floor..
 silverware collections.....

 
The park behind Schloss Charlottenburg was originally laid out in French Baroque style, it was later on converted into a landscaped garden.
 
At the entrance of the palace stands a large equestrian statue of the Great Elector. At the base of the statue are four chained warriors, symbolizing the four temperaments (which stem from the Antiquity where they were used to describe personalities). According to history, the statue was originally located in front of the Stadtschloss at the Museum Island, but during the Second World War the statue was submerged to the bottom of the Tegeler See, a large lake in Berlin. The statue was recovered in 1952 and after a restoration it was moved to the Charlottenburg Palace.
 
 

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