Schönhausen House – Ballroom

Schönhausen Palace is one of only a few palaces to have survived World War II unharmed. In 1740, Frederick II (Frederick the Great) gave the estate in 1740 to his wife Elisabeth Christine, who lived there until her death in 1797. Its eventful history is equally worth remembering: it was here that Elector Frederick III prepared and strategized his ascension to the throne as Frederick I, the first king in Prussia, in 1701. During the National Socialist period, it was one of the two Berlin depots where “degenerate art” was stored. Following World War II, the palace served as the official residence of the president of the German Democratic Republic (GDR), and subsequently as a guesthouse for heads of state. The conferences of the Central Round Table and subsequent meeting of foreign ministers to discuss the Two Plus Four Agreement in 1990 also connect this place to recent German history.

Outstanding late 17th and 18th century interiors largely survive to this day. Among them is the magnificent stuccoed ballroom, which was reopened to the public 2009, after extensive renovations. Today the ballroom provides a stylish setting for concerts, lectures, readings and banquets.