Sophie Charlotte, the first Queen consort in Prussia, was not only an accomplished musician, playing the harpsichord and singing Italian opera, but also strolled through the grounds here with her friend, the renowned scholar and philosopher Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz. When Sophie Charlotte died, just 36 years old, the palace and the area around was named Charlottenburg after her. Today, this is the largest and most magnificent palace in Berlin – a highlight for any Berlin visitor.
Covid-19 Rules For Palace Charlottenburg
Please note: The current opening and closing hours and special hygiene rules for the Covid-19 are available on this website.
Belvedere
The former tea house and panoramic pavillon, built in 1788, houses an exquisite collection of porcelain objects.
A Palace Garden Café is romantically located in the small Orangery.
Look to the sky
On the dome of the palace, a golden figure of the goddess Fortuna is balancing on a sphere. She carries an outstretched cloak, making her rotate in the wind. This gilded statue dates from the twentieth century, but was inspired by the original weather vane from 1711.
Photographing Charlottenburg Palace and its park
Begun in 1695 as a summer residence for Sophie Charlotte and extended under Frederick the Great, Charlottenburg is the largest surviving palace in Berlin — and the city’s most reliable location for formal portrait, engagement and wedding photography. The building is the backdrop; the park is where most of the work actually happens.
Locations inside the park
- The baroque parterre — clipped symmetry directly behind the palace, with the dome on axis. Strongest from a low angle, and best before the lawns fill up.
- The English landscape section — older trees, winding paths and soft, dappled light. This is where couple sessions work best in summer.
- The carp pond and the Belvedere — water, reflections and a small teahouse that reads as a location in its own right.
- The Mausoleum and the Neuer Pavillon — quieter corners for intimate, contained frames.
Seasons
Spring gives the parterre its colour and the trees their first leaf; autumn turns the landscape park gold and is the single best month for couple portraits here. In winter the bare structure of the baroque garden becomes graphic and works well in black and white.
Practical notes
The palace gardens are open to the public without a ticket; the palace interiors are ticketed. The grounds are managed by the Stiftung Preußische Schlösser und Gärten, and any commercial shoot — including a paid wedding session — requires a permit arranged in advance. Handheld private photography is not restricted.
Related
If you are choosing between locations for a ceremony or reception, see our guide to the best wedding locations in Berlin.
