Pfaueninsel

As green and full of nature as the island is, every square meter on Pfaueninsel was artificially designed. The island in the middle of the Havel River is a perfect work of German Romanticism. While garden artist Peter Joseph Lenné transformed the island into a fairytale landscape in 1821-34, renowned architects provided imaginative buildings.

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Das märchenhafte Schloss auf der Pfaueninsel im Südwesten Berlins.
© michfiel/ Creative Commons
View of the palace on Pfaueninsel
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Bright blue sky over the castle on Pfaueninsel in Berlin.
© J. A. F. Fintelmann
A map of Pfaueninsel from 1810, drawn by Ferdinand Fintelmann
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In the middle of nature: the dairy on Pfaueninsel is idyllically situated between trees.
© Bautsch
The dairy on Pfaueninsel, seen from the southeast
© Manfred Brueckels
Statuette of the actress Rachel on Berlin's Pfaueninsel
© Andreas Zedlerby/ Creative Commons
The frigate shed in January 2008
© Manfred Brueckels
The Cavalier House on Pfaueninsel in Berlin
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A peacock (Pavo cristatus) spreads its feathers on a meadow on Pfaueninsel in the Wannsee district of Berlin.
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As they once did 170 years ago, water buffalo graze on Pfaueninsel, eating their way through the lush greenery as natural lawnmowers.
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Water buffalo on Pfaueninsel.
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View of Pfaueninsel: Today, visitors arrive by ferry.