Potsdam: Cecilienhof (1)

 

Cecilienhof Palace, built in the style of an English manor house from 1913 to 1917,

was the last palace built by the Hohenzollern family.

Designed by Paul Schultze-Naumburg, it was the residence of Crown Prince Wilhelm

and his family until 1945. It was named after his wife, Crown Princess Cecilie.

The building contains 176 rooms, which are now used as a historical museum
(the eastern section) and a hotel (the western section, seen in this picture).

The palace became famous when, in the summer of 1945 from 17 July to 2 August,

US President Harry S. Truman, Soviet Premier Joseph Stalin, the British Prime Minister

Winston Churchill and his successor Clement Attlee met here for the Potsdam conference.

The conference room with its well-known round table, the studies of the delegations and

the planted star in the central courtyard (seen in this picture)

have been preserved as a historic site.

The star of red geraniums framed with blue hydrangeas was originally planted in July 1945

for the coming conference of the "Big Three." Therefore this floral composition is a

relevant part of the external framework of the Potsdam conference.

The western section of Cecilienhof, which is used as a hotel today.

Cecilienhof seen from the north.

Through the arcade there is access to the eastern courtyard.

The northeastern corner of Celicienhof.

The northern facade of Celienhof,
which faces the lake called Jungfernsee.

 

 From the park outside Cecilienhof, looking north, towards Jungfernsee.
From 1961 to 1989 a part of the Berlin wall stood on the grass seen in this picture,
between the hedge and the water: Potsdam was in East Germany,
while the land on the other side of the lake was a part of West Berlin.

 This black-and-white picture of Cecilienhof seen from the air was taken in 1936.

Go to the next installment:

Potsdam: Cecilienhof (2)

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