Before leaving Berlin we took a train to Potsdam, a small town just a 45 minute train ride away.   Here in Potsdam we found Frederick the Great’s summer palace and gardens.

The sun was shinning and a lovely day to spend touring this palace designed like Versailles in Paris.  It was very small though, only 12 rooms.  The Palace had lots of art and even had a music room where Frederick played his flute every day.

He composed music and really loved to read as well.  Below is his music room.

This is just one corner of his library.

Although he never traveled to Paris, the orient, nor Rome he read about these places and had his architect build replicas of these at his palace.  Here is the oriental House.

The ruins in the background are replicas of Ancient Rome and were built here for the King’s pleasure.

This great war hero lived very simply and quite modestly.  He wanted the palace to be only one story so he could step directly out into the garden.  In the vineyard the grapes were grown behind glass so they would rippen early.  The grapes were not used for wine but only to be eaten.

We really enjoyed walking through the gardens.  People had come here to enjoy the day just as we had.  Children were playing in the fields, people were just relaxing enjoying the beautiful day, and we saw beautiful wood ducks in the ponds.

 

Oh, I almost forgot, the little windmill that had the big story.

The mill became famous far and wide thanks to a legend: Frederick II is said to have been annoyed by the rattling of the mill and called on the miller to rebuild the mill in another place. The miller threatened him with a lawsuit before the Court of Appeals in Berlin and so Frederick acquiesced.

The name of the palace is Sans Souci.  Frederick spoke French, not German and I believe this means “Without a Care.”

It was nice to end out visit to Berlin without a care.