Sanssouci Park Walking Tour (Self Guided), Potsdam

Sanssouci Park is a unique Potsdam landmark that occupies 290 hectares in the heart of the city. The Park is named after the Sanssouci Palace that it surrounds, which in turn takes its name from the French phrase "sans souci", which means carefree, and implies that the palace was designated as a place of fun, rather than a seat of power.

Indeed, the Sanssouci Palace was built in 1747 as a summer residence for Prussia's king Frederick the Great (1712-1786). The latter was an enlightened monarch, passionate about the arts, who counted among his closest friends the likes of French philosopher Voltaire and many prominent celebrities of the time. In his organization of the park, Frederick deviated from the classical layout of Baroque gardens, seeking to combine the beautiful and the useful.

Sanssouci Park is a home to a number of historic buildings, such as the Charlottenhof Palace, the Roman Baths and the Temple of Friendship, surrounded by broad meadows creating visual avenues. Marking the eastern entrance to the Park is an Obelisk, established in 1748. Beginning from here a 2.5-km main avenue extends all the way to the New Palace, which marks its end in the west. In 1764 the Picture Gallery was constructed, followed by the New Chambers added in 1774. Frederick invested heavily in the fountain system of Sanssouci Park, which, among other features, included the Neptune Grotto, completed in 1757. The Sanssouci Park grounds are free to enter, and you can stroll around and view these and other attractions from outside at no charge. If you're keen to learn about the history of Prussia during the reign of Frederick the Great whilst enjoying yourself, take our self-guided walk through this marvelous park!