Paretz. A royal country estate around 1800

History and use of the summer residence of Queen Luise and her husband

• 

  Schloss Paretz, Vestibül – Schloss Paretz, Vestibül © SPSG / Foto: Leo Seidel

• Schloss Paretz, Schlafzimmer – Schloss Paretz, Schlafzimmer © SPSG / Foto: Leo Seidel

• Schloss Paretz, Schreibezimmer – Schloss Paretz, Schreibezimmer © SPSG / Foto: Leo Seidel

• Schloss Paretz, Paretzer Skizzenbuch – Schloss Paretz, Paretzer Skizzenbuch © SPSG

Paretz in Havelland, 20 kilometres from Potsdam, is one of the most beautiful excursion destinations in the Mark Brandenburg castle landscape. The village is considered a prime example of Prussian rural architecture around 1800 in the Mark Brandenburg. The castle and village ensemble were planned between 1797 and 1804 for the Prussian heir to the throne and later royal couple Friedrich Wilhelm III and Luise, née Princess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, and executed with new building techniques and high aesthetic standards. It fulfilled both the desire for a royal country residence and the requirements of a functioning farming village. In addition, it blends harmoniously into the wide landscape along the Havel.

Some of the buildings have been preserved or - like the castle - have been restored through careful redevelopment and careful restoration. The former royal living quarters in the palace are particularly impressive with their valuable hand-painted and printed paper wallpaper as well as the furniture, paintings, graphics and porcelain from the original furnishings. But why is Paretz such a special place? Who gave the decisive ideas for its design and who implemented these plans? When did the myth of Queen Luise's close relationship with this place come into being? How did the palace ensemble develop in the 20th century? These and other questions about the history and use of the castle are addressed in the newly designed, revised and thematically expanded permanent exhibition, which has been on display at Paretz Castle since 1 April 2015. It is shown in rooms whose historical furnishings have not been preserved.

Paretz was built at a time when there were signs of a profound and lasting change in lifestyle, in the perception of nature and in artistic forms of expression. Aspects of these new developments at the Prussian court around 1800 are presented in the second part of the presentation. The exhibits include artistically outstanding portrait busts of Queen Luise and several portraits of people closely related to her, as well as luxurious furnishings from the former Royal Palace in Berlin, including the Queen's gilded toilet service. In addition, a selection of seating furniture from the Belvedere on Potsdam's Brauhausberg can be seen again for the first time since the Second World War.

Runtime: from April 2015

Price: €8.00

Reduced price: €6.00

Reduced price info: incl. castle remise

bedingt rollstuhlgeeignet

Takes place here:

• Schloss Paretz