Between royal dreams, superpowers and the Berlin Wall – a journey through time in the green World Heritage Site of the New Garden

Guided garden tour from the Marble Palace to Cecilienhof Palace

Conceived as a counterpoint to Sanssouci Park, the New Garden, a work of art commissioned by the royal family, was created on the shores of Lake Jungfernsee over 230 years ago. But world history, too, has left its mark on this green paradise, leaving behind a tapestry of memories and lasting traces: Out of fear of public discontent, royal park walls were erected. A crown prince and his wife fulfilled their unusual dreams of a home. At the end of World War II, soldiers fought in the garden. Three major powers conferred here on a new world order. Soviet occupiers built an amusement park in the formerly royal greenery. The Berlin Wall bisected the park for almost three decades, creating poignant biographies.

The scars of time and violence have been almost completely erased from what is now a World Heritage Site. However, a pleasant stroll from the Marble Palace to Cecilienhof Palace brings these reminders of world history back into view. The main themes explored are the origins and history of the New Garden, the events surrounding the Potsdam Conference of 1945, the Soviet occupation, and the division of Germany. Before or after the walk, there is an opportunity to visit the Marble Palace.

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