Rheinsberg Castle
| Rheinsberg Palace | |
|---|---|
| Schloss Rheinsberg | |
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| General information | |
| Architectural style | Frederician Rococo |
| Location | Rheinsberg, Germany |
| Coordinates | Coordinates: 53°5′55″N 12°53′22″E / 53.09861°N 12.88944°E |
| Owner | Berlin-Brandenburg Foundation for Prussian Palaces and Gardens |
Rheinsberg Palace (German: Schloss Rheinsberg) lies in the municipality of Rheinsberg, about 100 kilometres (62 mi) northwest of Berlin in the German district of Ostprignitz-Ruppin.
The palace on the eastern shore of the Grienericksee is a classic example of the so-called Frederician Rococo architecture style and served as a basis for Sanssouci Palace.
In the Middle Ages a moated castle stood on the site of Rheinsberg Palace. The von Bredow family had acquired the lordship of Rheinsberg through marriage in 1464 from the von Platen and had a water castle built on this spot in 1566 in Renaissance style. However, it was badly damaged during the Thirty Years' War and, in 1618, was sold to Kuno von Lochow. When his line died out, the castle went to Prince-Elector Frederick William, who gifted it to his General, Franz du Hamel. With the permission of the elector, he sold it however to Benjamin Chevenix de Beville, who alienated it in March 1734 for 75,000 thalers to the Prussian king, Frederick William I. Frederick William in turn gave it to his son, Crown Prince Frederick, later King Frederick the Great for his loyalty. In 1736 he moved with his wife, Princess Elisabeth Christine to the southern wing of the castle. In the years up to 1740 Frederick had the castle considerably extended and improved by the architects Johann Gottfried Kemmeter and Georg Wenzeslaus von Knobelsdorff, who learned his architectural craft, so to speak, from Kemmeter. Thus, an upper floor was added to the single-storey building and the East Wing extended by 25 metres.
Frederick himself always described his years at Rheinsberg Palace as the "happiest of his life". His time in Rheinsberg ended in 1740 with his accession to the throne.
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