Germany: Parks and Castles in the East

[GERMANY.MECKLENBURG 1] 'Schlosspark Ludwigslust.' In 1757 Christian Ludwig II, duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, moved his residence and court from the city of Schwerin to his hunting lodge. Here he erected a baroque court town that still exists today, expanded by the classicist expansions of his successors. The hunting lodge made place for a huge palace dating from the late Baroque, surrounded by an equally huge park. A century later the famous landscape architect Lenné transformed it into a romantic English landscape park, offering beautiful views on the landscapes, the waterworks and of course the palace. The only thing he left untouched were the straight canals of the original baroque design, as he was fond of the 100 year old trees growing alongside them. Which have grown another 150 years older since then... Photo Paul Smit.

[GERMANY.MECKLENBURG 3] 'Schloss and Park Rheinsberg.' The Rheinsberg castle is situated at Lake Grienerick, in the southern corner of the Mecklenburg lake plateau. This is where Prussian king Friedrich der Große (Frederick the Great) used to live as crown prince. Around 1900 the wealthy Berlin bourgeoisie discovered the baroque village as a health spa. As did writer Kurt Tucholsky, who got so excited about the place he situated his next novel there: "Rheinsberg - ein Bilderbuch für Verliebte" ("Rheinsberg, a picture book for lovers"). It made the town famous, and since the fall of the Berlin Wall pilgrimage to the city started once again, not by health seekers but by lovers! It was in Rheinsberg that I met this couple, baby in pram, reading each other pages from Tucholsky. I saw Claire and Wolfgang, protagonists from the book, come alive in their eyes. And though they never got each other, they experienced a few happy days in Rheinsberg. Photo Paul Smit.

[GERMANY.MECKLENBURG 5] 'Park Rheinsberg.' The Rheinsberg castle and park are situated at Lake Grienerick, in the southern corner of the Mecklenburg lake plateau. This is where Prussian king Friedrich der Große (Frederick the Great) used to live as crown prince. Around 1900 the wealthy Berlin bourgeoisie discovered the baroque village as a health spa. As did writer Kurt Tucholsky, who got so excited about the place he situated his next novel there: "Rheinsberg - ein Bilderbuch für Verliebte" ("Rheinsberg, a picture book for lovers"). It made the town famous, and since the fall of the Berlin Wall pilgrimage to the city started once again, not by health seekers this time but by lovers. Photo Paul Smit.

[GERMANY.BERLIN 8] 'Park and Schloss Charlottenburg.' When roaming through the baroque, rococo, romantic, classicist and Biedermeier palace interiors it is hard to believe that bombs devastated Schloss Charlottenburg in 1943. Originally it was built as a present of elector Friedrich III to his wife Sophie Charlotte, and post-war Berlin went into full overdrive to return this architectural and historical jewel to its citizens. Berliners love to go there, especially on hot summer days when the park and waters offer shade and cooling. Photo Paul Smit.

[GERMANY.BRANDENBURG 10] 'Schloss and Park Sanssouci, Potsdam.' Stairs climbing terraced vineyard garden towards the baroque Sanssouci palace, french for free of worries. This garden is the heart of the much larger, 290 ha Sanssouci Park, that itself is just the centerpiece of a whole chain of parks, gardens and palaces. Friedrich der Große (Frederick the Great) and generations of Prussian kings after him had these parks constructed along the banks of the Havel, a river that widens into an idyllic lake every few kilometers. The park landscape starts at Werder and reaches, via Potsdam, deep into Berlin. In the past the Glienicker Bridge, famous for its exchange of spies, divided this area. Since the German unification you can enjoy it as a whole and it has become a UNESCO World Heritage site. Photo Paul Smit.

[GERMANY.BRANDENBURG 12] 'Schloss and Park Sanssouci, Potsdam.' Gardener working in the terraced vineyard of the baroque Sanssouci palace, french for free of worries. Behind the glass doors you can recognize figs.This garden is the heart of the much larger, 290 ha Sanssouci Park, that itself is just the centerpiece of a whole chain of parks, gardens and palaces. Friedrich der Große (Frederick the Great) and generations of Prussian kings after him had these parks constructed along the banks of the Havel, a river that widens into an idyllic lake every few kilometers. The park landscape starts at Werder and reaches, via Potsdam, deep into Berlin. In the past the Glienicker Bridge, famous for its exchange of spies, divided this area. Since the German unification you can enjoy it as a whole and it has become a UNESCO World Heritage site. Photo Paul Smit.

[GERMANY.BRANDENBURG 14] 'Schloss and Park Sanssouci, Potsdam.' Fountain at the base of the stairs climbing the terraced vineyard garden towards the baroque Sanssouci palace, french for free of worries. In the evening, when most of the tourists have left, the park seems to dream towards the night, a vision of the world as the Prussian kings imaged it in their romantic fantasies. Sans souci - an illusion that became reality in Potsdam. The terraced garden is the heart of the much larger, 290 ha Sanssouci Park, that itself is just the centerpiece of a whole chain of parks, gardens and palaces. Friedrich der Große (Frederick the Great) and generations of Prussian kings after him had these parks constructed along the banks of the Havel, a river that widens into an idyllic lake every few kilometers. It has become a UNESCO World Heritage site. Photo Paul Smit.

[GERMANY.BRANDENBURG 16] 'Chinese tea pavilion, Park Sanssouci, Potsdam.' The Prussian kings imported the whole world to Potsdam by copying it. This Chinese tea pavilion was constructed in the baroque Sanssouci Park. China was fashion in those days. English parks were sprinkled with Italian villas some time later. Antique temple ruins were raised on top of a hill - brand new! For powering the fountains steam engines were constructed inside a Moorish mosque, the chimney hidden in the minaret. And a piece of Holland was erected in the middle of Potsdam. They really were mad about copying: not one of the fortyseven Raphaels in their Orangery Palace was real! Photo Paul Smit.

[GERMANY.BRANDENBURG 19] 'Schlosspark Branitz.' Among the park loving monarchs count Hermann Fürst von Pückler-Muskau definitely was the most colourful character. He enjoyed life, travelled a lot and got bitten by the landscape park bug when in England. He set himself the task of transforming his infertile estate around Bad Muskau into a park. This enormous undertaking costed so much money that he was forced to win the heart of rich women. But though he succeeded in winning their hearts, he never got their money. However, the letters he wrote about these affairs - and that his wife published as a book! - became a bestseller, providing him with the money to finish the park. Well, almost - he went bankrupt when the end of the project was in sight. With his wife he escaped to his last possession, a derilict mansion in Branitz near Cottbus. Famous architect Gottfried Semper, who was to renovate the house for them, stated that even Pückler's green hands would not be able to turn the sandy plains around the house into something worthwhile. But Semper was wrong, as Pückler, now 61 years old, repeated the miracle of Bad Muskau. In his new park he is buried. Not his body, but his heart, which had beaten passionately for eighty-six years. He designed the final resting place for it himself: a surrealistic clay pyramid rising from one of the lakes. Photo Paul Smit.

[GERMANY.BRANDENBURG 20] 'Venus in Schlosspark Branitz.' A lighthearted Venus seems to forget the surroundings and watch herself in the mirroring water. Photo Paul Smit.

[GERMANY.SACHSENANHALT 24] 'Rudelsburg above the Saale.' Along the Saale you will find many castles and strongholds; the middle part of the valley holds no less than forty! The Rudelburg near Bad Kösen, proud even in ruins, is one of the most popular castles of Germany. Photo Paul Smit.

[GERMANY.SACHSENANHALT 26] 'Saaleck above the Saale.' Along the Saale you will find many castles and strongholds; the middle part of the valley holds no less than forty! Saaleck near Bad Kösen, proud even in ruins, is one of the most popular castles of Germany. Just like the Tower of London it has a historical connection with ravens, though the birds have not prevented its demise. Photo Paul Smit.

[GERMANY.THUERINGEN 28] Schloss Kochberg, Großkochberg.' In Grosskochberg, just north of Rudolstadt, we meet Goethe once again. As a lover this time, since he used to visit Freiherr von Stein's wife quite regularly in the castle (now museum and hotel). According to some fans of Goethe his love was purely platonic, but not everyone agrees. Photo Paul Smit.

[GERMANY.MECKLENBURG 2] 'Restaurant Rote Saal, Orangery, Schlosspark Neustrelitz.' The palace of Neustrelitz was destroyed during the last days of the Second World War. But the park, partly baroque, partly English in style, has remained intact. Just like the Orangerie, with roof paintings resembling those of Pompei and copies of antique statues. The best spot to experience the neoclassicist atmosphere is the Rote Saal while you are dining... Photo Paul Smit.

[GERMANY.MECKLENBURG 4] 'Park Rheinsberg.' The Rheinsberg castle and park are situated at Lake Grienerick, in the southern corner of the Mecklenburg lake plateau. This is where Prussian king Friedrich der Große (Frederick the Great) used to live as crown prince. Around 1900 the wealthy Berlin bourgeoisie discovered the baroque village as a health spa. As did writer Kurt Tucholsky, who got so excited about the place he situated his next novel there: "Rheinsberg - ein Bilderbuch für Verliebte" ("Rheinsberg, a picture book for lovers"). It made the town famous, and since the fall of the Berlin Wall pilgrimage to the city started once again, not by health seekers this time but by lovers! Photo Paul Smit.

[GERMANY.BRANDENBURG 6] 'Gate and Bisschofsburg of Wittstock.' In the federal state of Brandenburg time seems to have stood still, even though it surrounds the hot and trendy capitol Berlin. Like here in Wittstock, with its almost complete town wall. The tower behind it belongs to the Bisschofsburg (Stronghold of the Bishop). In the Middle Ages not only counts and dukes, but also bishops strived for worldly power. They waged war, had enemies and needed fortified buildings to protect themselves. These days the castle has a far less dangerous destination being a regional museum. Photo Paul Smit.

[GERMANY.BERLIN 9] 'Old friends at Schloss Charlottenburg.' The squirrel of Park Charlottenburg and the palace museum's concierge know each other well. While the squirrel is more interested in nuts than art, the other visiters come for the stunning baroque, rococo, romantic, classicist and Biedermeier palace interiors. Photo Paul Smit.

[GERMANY.BRANDENBURG 11] 'Schloss and Park Sanssouci, Potsdam.' Stairs climbing terraced vineyard garden towards the baroque Sanssouci palace, french for free of worries. This garden is the heart of the much larger, 290 ha Sanssouci Park, that itself is just the centerpiece of a whole chain of parks, gardens and palaces. Friedrich der Große (Frederick the Great) and generations of Prussian kings after him had these parks constructed along the banks of the Havel, a river that widens into an idyllic lake every few kilometers. The park landscape starts at Werder and reaches, via Potsdam, deep into Berlin. In the past the Glienicker Bridge, famous for its exchange of spies, divided this area. Since the German unification you can enjoy it as a whole and it has become a UNESCO World Heritage site. Photo Paul Smit.

[GERMANY.BRANDENBURG 13] 'Schloss and Park Sanssouci, Potsdam.' Schoolgirls in the terraced vineyard garden of the baroque Sanssouci palace, french for free of worries. This garden is the heart of the much larger, 290 ha Sanssouci Park, that itself is just the centerpiece of a whole chain of parks, gardens and palaces. Friedrich der Große (Frederick the Great) and generations of Prussian kings after him had these parks constructed along the banks of the Havel, a river that widens into an idyllic lake every few kilometers. The park landscape starts at Werder and reaches, via Potsdam, deep into Berlin. In the past the Glienicker Bridge, famous for its exchange of spies, divided this area. Since the German unification you can enjoy it as a whole and it has become a UNESCO World Heritage site. Photo Paul Smit.

[GERMANY.BRANDENBURG 15] 'Park Sanssouci, Potsdam.' Beauty is not always with the famous palaces or well known garden views. This is just a far off corner of the Sanssouci Park, where hardly a tourist comes, part of the more than 500 ha Potsdam and Berlin Parks and Palaces UNESCO World Heritage site. Photo Paul Smit.

[GERMANY.BRANDENBURG 17] 'Wörlitz landscape park.' Wörlitz is Germany's oldest English landscape park, stretching along a former branch of the Elbe and since 2000 on the list of World Heritage Sites. Where many parks want to impress, Wörlitz just is elegant. Even the palace, the first classicistic building of Germany, looks friendly. The park shows the marks of both Enlightenment, a movement glorifying intellect, and Romanticism, stressing emotions. Goethe, who combined both elements in his own character, wrote: "I was truly moved when we silently floated across the lakes and canals. Here the gods have permitted a king to surround himself with a dream." Initially most German rulers weren't interested in these modernisms at all. But some fifty years later the situation had changed dramatically: every self-respecting monarch had his garden turned into an English landscape park. Photo Paul Smit.

[GERMANY.BRANDENBURG 18] 'Schlosspark Branitz.' Among the park loving monarchs count Hermann Fürst von Pückler-Muskau definitely was the most colourful character. He enjoyed life, travelled a lot and got bitten by the landscape park bug when in England. He set himself the task of transforming his infertile estate around Bad Muskau into a park. This enormous undertaking costed so much money that he was forced to win the heart of rich women. But though he succeeded in winning their hearts, he never got their money. However, the letters he wrote about these affairs - that his wife published as a book! - became a bestseller, providing him with the money to finish the park. Well, almost - he went bankrupt when the end of the project was in sight. With his wife he escaped to his last possession, a derilict mansion in Branitz near Cottbus. Famous architect Gottfried Semper, who was to renovate the house for them, stated that even Pückler's green hands would not be able to turn the sandy plains around the house into something worthwhile. But Semper was wrong, as Pückler, now 61 years old, repeated the miracle of Bad Muskau. In his new park he is buried. Not his body, but his heart, which had beaten passionately for eighty-six years. He designed the final resting place for it himself: a surrealistic clay pyramid rising from one of the lakes. Photo Paul Smit.

[GERMANY.SACHSENANHALT 23] 'Castle of Stolberg, Harz.' The castle of Stolberg offers a pleasant view upon the most picture perfect town of the eastern Harz. Stolberg has no suburbs, survived all wars unscathed and has the best kept half-timbered houses of all towns in the former GDR. Even in communistic times the incoming roads were of flawless quality. One reason for this is that many secret service employees went on holiday here and government officials often chose this location to invite their high guests. But the main reason is that Thomas Müntzer was born here, leader of the farmers’ revolts of 1525. And therefore the first Great Revolutionary! Four valleys and four ribbons of white half-timbered houses with orange roofs converge upon the market square with its unusual town hall dating from 1482. It has no stairs on the inside, forcing city employees outside when they want to go to another floor. Two panoramic paths surround the village, the Untere and the Obere Bandweg. The lower starts at the castle. Photo Paul Smit.

[GERMANY.SACHSENANHALT 25] 'Rudelsburg and Saaleck above the Saale.' Along the Saale you will find many castles and strongholds; the middle part of the valley holds no less than forty! The Rudelburg (left) and Saaleck (right) near Bad Kösen, proud even in ruins, are among the most popular castles of Germany. Just like the Tower of London Saaleck has a historical connection with ravens, though the birds have not prevented its demise. Photo Paul Smit.

[GERMANY.THUERINGEN 27] 'Rosegarden of the Dornburg castles.' Three castles in a row, one romanesque, one renaissance and one rococo. Goethe retreated into the southernmost of the three Dornburg castles during the summer of 1828, leaving his ministerial worries behind. He did so with his employer, duke Carl August of Sachsen-Weimar, a small state that was especially famous in cultural circles. Goethe loved to wander around the rose gardens surrounding the middle rococo castle, from where he had a beautiful view upon the river Saale down below. An inspiring spot, where famous pieces of literature were concepted. When he went, everything was kept as he had left it behind. Or so says the concierge. Thus the drawings he brought from his travels to Italy are still hanging in the same place. And his bed is as neat now as it was during his life; as an experienced traveller he had always preferred his field bed. Photo Paul Smit.