Berlin: Potsdam, the Sans Souci palaces

We spent a day at the Sans Souci palaces in Potsdam, a 20 minute train ride away from the Berlin City Centre.  The three main palaces were the Sans Souci, the New Palace and the Orangery.  I wish I were less rusty and more confident on a bike - really the best way to see the parks and palaces with the bike rentals just outside the train station.  Instead we had to opt for the double-decker tourist bus.

Old town Potsdam

A building in the New Palace complex

The formal gardens

The garden in the Sans Souci palace

This was a summer palace - all on one floor

Looks familiar?  The same sculpture was also in the Altes Museum in Berlin

The Tudor style Cecilienhof Palace, for the Crown Prince and Princess Cecilie

The grounds of Cecilienhof

The tower of the Church of Peace on the edge of the Sans Souci park

The beautiful proportioned grounds around the church - built by the artistically gifted King Frederick William IV - no wonder, it's my favourite structure in the entire palace grounds

These lovely cloisters surround the church and end in a gorgeous tiered portal

The exquisite marble fountain in an arcade on the Church grounds

One of the less gaudy part of the Chinese Tea Garden

The lush gardens around Sans Souci - this was a great day trip!

Next post: the Berlin Wall