Belvedere auf dem Pfingstberg

Current exhibitions

About the museum

The Pfingstberg in northern Potsdam was already a popular viewpoint in the 18th century. In 1801 the small Pomonatempel (Pomona Temple) was built here to a design by Karl Friedrich Schinkel, then just 19 – his first completed building. From 1847, Friedrich Wilhelm IV had a belvedere in the style of Italian Renaissance villas built on the summit, executed by Ludwig Persius, Friedrich August Stüler and Ludwig Ferdinand Hesse based on the king's sketches. The complex, originally planned on a much larger scale, was only partly realized and not completed until 1863, two years after the king's death.

After World War II the Pfingstberg fell within a restricted military zone near Soviet facilities, and from the 1960s onward the Belvedere deteriorated rapidly. In 1987 young Potsdam residents came together to save the ensemble, and in 1989, under surveillance by the Stasi, they organized the first Pfingstberg festival. In September 1990 this led to the founding of the Förderverein Pfingstberg (friends' association).

With donations from the Hermann-Reemtsma-Stiftung, the Pomona Temple was rebuilt first and opened in 1993; after the Soviet troops withdrew, the Stiftung Preußische Schlösser und Gärten (SPSG) began restoring the Lenné park. From 1998, with major support from the Reemtsma foundation and Werner Otto, the Belvedere itself was restored. The west tower could be climbed again in time for the 2001 Federal Garden Show, and restoration was essentially complete by 2003.

Today the friends' association runs the Belvedere, which belongs to the SPSG. Two permanent exhibitions tell the eventful history of the hill, and during the season the Pomona Temple hosts changing art exhibitions.

Highlights

• Panoramic views from the twin towers over Potsdam, the Havel lakes and as far as Berlin
• Inner courtyard with arcades and water basin in the style of Italian Renaissance villas
• Pomona Temple (1801), Karl Friedrich Schinkel's first building
• Permanent exhibition on the history of the Pfingstberg and everyday life in the restricted zone, 1945–1994
• Sunrise tours and cultural events in summer

Permanent exhibitions

• Potsdamer Visionen mit Ausblick – Der Pfingstberg und seine wechselvolle Geschichte – Using illuminated floor plans and historic views, the exhibition in the Belvedere traces the building's history, its decay during the GDR era and the rescue of the ensemble.
• Zwischen Gartenlaube und Russenmagazin. Alltag am Potsdamer Pfingstberg 1945–1994 – Interviews with contemporary witnesses describe the lives of residents on the edge of the Soviet restricted zone after 1945.

Founded

2001

Operated by

Förderverein Pfingstberg in Potsdam e.V. (Eigentümerin: Stiftung Preußische Schlösser und Gärten Berlin-Brandenburg)

Admission & discounts

Refugees with proof of residence status free. According to the SPSG, holders of the SPSG ticket sanssouci+ receive reduced admission. Photo shoots by outside wedding couples cost €270 plus admission per person.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

A wheelchair lift provides access to the inner courtyard and the ground floor with the exhibition; the towers can only be reached by stairs. Accessible restrooms available. Visitors with reduced mobility can arrange by phone to be driven up to the Belvedere (0331 200 68 41).

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
• Stroller-friendly: not available

Free audio tour via QR code with its own children's route; bookable children's tours (about 1.5 hours) for groups of 15 or more children. For conservation reasons, strollers are not allowed in the exhibition rooms; the viewing towers can only be reached by stairs. Free admission for children under 7.

Getting there & parking

Amenities & dining

• Restaurant: not available

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Private parties
• Corporate events
• Weddings / ceremonies

The Belvedere, Pomona Temple and Pfingstberghaus are available for rent. Civil wedding ceremonies in cooperation with the Potsdam registry office from May to October, as well as non-religious weddings and corporate and private events. Prices only on individual request.

Plan your visit