Charlottenburg Palace, Berlin

Charlottenburg Palace is the largest palace in Berlin and the only surviving royal residence in the city. The palace was built at the end of the 17th century and was greatly expanded during the 18th century. During the Second World War, the palace was badly damaged but has since been reconstructed in 1950. A lot of the rooms are quite bare as the furnishings were destroyed in the war and many of the pieces have come from the destroyed Berlin Palace which was torn down in 1950 but is being rebuilt and due to open in the next few years.
 The palace was commissioned by Sophie Charlotte, the wife of Friedrich III. The palace was designed in baroque style and consisted of one wing. In 1702 the palace was extended to include a second wing and the estate had buildings constructed such as an Orangerie, Mausoleum and the Belverdere which was used as a teahouse and viewing point for the gardens. The gardens were originally designed in Baroque style but later changed to a less informal English landscape style. After the Second World War, the centre of the garden was restored to the previous baroque style.

Charlottenburg Palace

Oak Gallery

Most of the furnishings came from the Berlin Palace

One of the many ceiling frescos

The over- the- top Porcelain  Cabinet 
room filled with Chinese and Japanese porcelain

Some of the Chinese and Japanese porcelain

The view from the Ballroom

Avenues of trees

Charlottenburg Palace from the Baroque garden

The vast gardens

Swans on the ice

One of the lakes- totally iced over

Baroque styled garden just showing through the snow

The Belverdere

Section of the English Landscape style garden (with a frozen lake )

The Mausoleum

Family crest on the gate