Dreaming of Italy in Berlin? Right here stands the Neuer Pavillon. It is a little piece of Italy in the heart of Charlottenburg.
King Friedrich Wilhelm III commissioned this villa. He wanted a private retreat. This was for his second wife, Countess Auguste von Harrach. The king’s first wife, Queen Luise, died in 1810. He remarried 14 years later. Auguste was of lower social rank. The marriage was morganatic. Auguste could not be queen. The Neuer Pavillon became a modest villa. It suited the king’s simple tastes. The couple never lived here together. It was just the king’s retreat.
The Neuer Pavillon is also known as the Schinkel-Pavillon. King Friedrich Wilhelm III found inspiration in Italy. He saw neoclassical villas there. Karl Friedrich Schinkel designed the villa. Schinkel was Prussia’s most famous architect. He created a two-story white villa. It sits beside the Spree River. A columned loggia is a prominent feature. Green window shutters add detail. An iron balcony wraps around the villa. This design came from the Villa Chiatamone in Italy. Schinkel designed the interior simply.
In 1943, an air raid nearly destroyed the Neuer Pavillon. Fire destroyed the interior. Reconstruction happened between 1957 and 1970. A new permanent exhibition opened in 2011. The Neuer Pavillon now takes you back in time. The rooms show how a Prussian summerhouse looked. Paintings and sculptures decorate the rooms.
You can admire art by Caspar David Friedrich. Also, see works by Karl Blechen and Eduard Gaertner. Sculptures by Christian Daniel Rauch are present. The exhibition shows Schinkel’s work as an architect and painter. You will see a tea table he designed. He designed many famous buildings on it.
The Neuer Pavillon faced challenges over time. In 1901, the new Schloßbrücke was built. In 1905, Kaiser-Friedrich-Straße was completed. Schinkel’s Landhaus Behrend was torn down. The city moved closer to the Neuer Pavillon. The idyllic setting was lost.
However, the Neuer Pavillon was rebuilt. The interior was reconstructed too. In the garden room, spot the round tea table. Schinkel designed it with a porcelain top. Many of his buildings are painted on it.
The Neuer Pavillon offers a glimpse into Schinkel’s world. A showcase features his metalwork. You’ll see the Iron Cross and a sword. The sword shows scenes from the liberation wars. There is also the Louisenorden. Models of Schinkel’s Altes Museum are highlights. Franciscus Joseph Friedrich created them. They feature wood, ivory and mother-of-pearl.
The Neuer Pavillon presents over 90 paintings. These hang on walls and in showcases. The collection includes Friedrich’s “Morning in the Riesengebirge”. Also displayed is Blechen’s “The Interior of the Palm House”. Gaertner’s “Gendarmenmarkt in Winter” is another highlight. The Neuer Pavillon is more than just a building. It is a journey into Prussia’s royal past. It is an experience that blends art, architecture, and history.