Charlottenburg Palace Old Palace & New Wing Tickets Berlin

The Old Palace of Charlottenburg

Charlottenburg Palace began in 1695 as a summer residence for Sophie Charlotte, wife of Elector Frederick III, who became King Frederick I in Prussia in 1701. After her death in 1705 the palace was renamed in her honour, and it grew into an imposing Baroque residence topped by a dome and a gilded figure of Fortuna. In the courtyard stands the equestrian statue of the Great Elector by Andreas Schlüter.

Inside the Old Palace you walk through the royal apartments, state rooms and the Oak Gallery, and see the Porcelain Cabinet, where Chinese and Japanese porcelain covers the walls to the ceiling. Charlottenburg Palace tickets are popular with anyone interested in Prussian history, and the rooms show how the royal family lived, entertained and displayed power.

The New Wing and the Golden Gallery

The New Wing, built in the 1740s by Georg Wenzeslaus von Knobelsdorff for Frederick the Great, is lighter and more Rococo in style than the Old Palace. The highlights are the White Hall, once the throne room, and the Golden Gallery, a long ballroom of green and gold with mirrors, painted ceilings and gilded decoration that ranks among the finest Rococo interiors in Germany.

The wing also displays paintings from the eighteenth century, including French works Frederick collected. Much of the palace was badly damaged by bombing in the Second World War and rebuilt afterwards, and you can see how carefully the rooms have been restored. Allow about an hour for the New Wing and Old Palace rooms.

The gardens, the Mausoleum and the New Pavilion

Behind the palace, the gardens stretch towards the River Spree, with a formal Baroque parterre, tree-lined avenues, a carp pond and the Belvedere teahouse. Walking in the palace gardens is a pleasure in spring and summer, and a good way to photograph the palace from its garden side. In the gardens you will also find the Mausoleum of Queen Luise and, designed by Karl Friedrich Schinkel, the New Pavilion.

Depending on the option you choose, the ticket may also cover the Mausoleum and the New Pavilion, which open in season, so check the booking panel for what each option includes. These smaller buildings show a more intimate, neoclassical side of the Prussian court.

Getting to Charlottenburg Palace and planning your visit

If you are wondering how to get to Charlottenburg Palace, take metro U7 to Richard-Wagner-Platz and walk about ten minutes, or bus M45 or 309 to the Schloss Charlottenburg stop. The palace is closed on Mondays and opens from 10 am, with last entry thirty minutes before closing, and hours are longer between April and October.

The ticket is self-guided: a free palace app serves as your digital guide, so download it before you go. For the best time to visit Charlottenburg Palace, choose a weekday morning, when the state rooms are quieter, and combine it with a walk in the gardens.