Upon this island a fairytale unfolds. Welcome to Pfaueninsel Castle.
Pfaueninsel Castle a Romantic-style building sits on the Havel River’s shore. Frederick William II commissioned this Lustschloss. It was completed in 1797. Today it’s a museum.
Originally called Kaninchenwerder Rabbit Island the island housed a rabbit farm under Frederick William I. Later Frederick William II transformed it. He built Pfaueninsel Castle for himself and his mistress Wilhelmine Enke. The castle’s location offered easy access by boat from his Marmorpalais in Potsdam. Wilhelmine Countess Lichtenau influenced the castle’s interior design. Sadly she could not enjoy it long as Frederick William II died the year it was completed.
The castle is charming. Its white walls frame a classicistic Great Hall. Two towers flank the central building connected by an iron bridge. The interior is meticulously decorated reflecting aristocratic tastes.
After Frederick William II’s death his successor Frederick William III made Pfaueninsel a model farm. Between 1821 and 1834 Peter Joseph Lenné and Karl Friedrich Schinkel redesigned the park. A menagerie housed exotic animals. Alligators buffalos kangaroos monkeys and peacocks roamed the grounds. Over 900 animals from over 100 species lived there. The collection eventually moved to Berlin’s Zoo.
The Palmenhaus a house of palms was erected in 1831. It housed exotic plants and was praised by Alexander von Humboldt. Sadly it burned down in 1880.
Pfaueninsel Castle and its island remain a popular destination. They are part of the Palaces and Parks of Potsdam and Berlin UNESCO World Heritage Site. Peacocks still roam freely. The island also retains its idyllic natural character. This is the enchanting Pfaueninsel Castle a place of history and beauty.