The carriage journey from the Berlin Palace to Charlottenburg was arduous and disliked. Travelling on pleasure boats or small trek barges on the River Spree was more comfortable. They had to be pulled by draft animals and manpower from the riverbank over long distances. The event was elaborately staged when the royal couple arrived in Charlottenburg with their entourage. The ship entered the marina, now the Karpfenteich, from the River Spree. From there, those arriving marvelled at the large parterre in all its splendour. With the development of roads, travel became more convenient, and the dock became superfluous. The landscape gardeners redesigned the waterway into a picturesque pond with winding branches. It offers a habitat for diverse plants and animals to this day.
There was a carp feeding station on the west bank of the Karpfenteich. The famous moss carp would slowly appear if a bell were rung. Sadly, the over 150-year-old fish froze to death during an icy winter. The Karpfenteich has retained its name, although in the interim, roach, rudd, tench, pike and perch now also swim in the water.
