Shopping on the Ku’damm

Since its closure, the historic former Tempelhof Airport has become Berlin’s largest inner-city green space.

The Tempelhofer Feld in Berlin

Berliners and visitors to the city meet in front of the monumental airport building and enjoy the space and wind. The former runways offer plenty of space for outdoor activities. Here you can cycle, skate, stroll, barbecue and chill. A unique adventure area in the centre of the Berlin metropolis.

Recently, the grassy areas have been given animal care. Rare Skudden cattle and old breeds of cattle and horses keep the vegetation short and the views open.

A history trail with numbered information boards guides you across the entire site and tells you a lot about the military and civilian history of Tempelhofer Feld.

Entrances

West side

Main entrance: Tempelhofer Damm / S- und U-Bahnhof Tempelhof
Secondary entrance: Tempelhofer Damm / U-Bahnhof Paradestraße

North side

Main entrance: Columbiadamm / Lilienthalstraße
Secondary entrance: Columbiadamm / Golßenerstraße

East side

Main entrance: Oderstraße / Herrfurthstraße
(and 5 further entrances on Oderstraße)

The 3 main entrances are barrier-free.

Opening hours

Vary between 6.00 am and 10.30 pm depending on the time of year.
The entrances are closed at the end of opening hours. It is then possible to leave the site at the main entrances through revolving gates.
You can find the exact times here.

Admission

Admission is free.

Please note

Motor vehicles, motorbikes and mopeds are not permitted.

Dogs must be kept on a lead outside the dog exercise area.

The enchanting Peacock Island in Berlin was one of Queen Luise‘s favourite places.

A visit to the Peacock Island in Berlin is like travelling back in time. The short crossing on the ‘Luise’ ferry is the perfect and only way to experience this special garden. King Frederick William III and Queen Luise occasionally used the Peacock Island as a summer residence and excursion destination, as they both appreciated the rural seclusion in the company of their children.

The castle

As soon as you arrive on the island, you can see the white castle after just a few steps and a short climb. Guided tours of the rooms take place at regular times. After the death of Frederick William III, the castle was no longer used. Spared from wars and other misfortune, the original furnishings can still be marvelled at today. Many of the exhibits come from the Queen’s personal possessions. A large number of pictures show motifs of the Queen and her husband as well as garden views of the island from different eras. The bedrooms of their Majesties can also be viewed.

The dairy

Before you reach the dairy, you pass another red building. This is the calf barn built in 1802. However, it has been used as a dwelling since 1826. In the dairy itself, you can visit the historic rooms and an exhibition on the history of Peacock Island. The highlight is undoubtedly the Gothic Hall. However, guided tours only take place in the winter months. In the whey parlour on the ground floor you will find various utensils that were once used in the dairy industry on Peacock Island.

©SPSG Foto-Inventarnr: F0015404; Fotograf: Bach, Hans; 2008

The Luisen Temple

If you let your gaze wander from the Meierei over the neighbouring meadows, you will see the Luisentempel on the edge of the forest. Frederick William III had it built to honour the memory of his wife. The columned front is made of sandstone and originally stood as a portico for Queen Luise’s mausoleum in Charlottenburg Park in 1810. In the hall behind the front is a bust of the queen on a plinth. From the Luisentempel, we recommend taking the path back to the ferry, keeping the Havel on your left. You will pass other interesting points on the island such as the Kunkelstein, the hunting screen, the peacock enclosure, the frigate harbour and the nursery.

©SPSG Foto-Inventarnr: F0016984; Fotograf: Bach, Hans; Luisentempel; 2008

Location & Directions

The Pfaueninsel is located in the south-west of Berlin in the middle of the Havel and is part of the Wannsee district. From the Wannsee motorway exit on the A115 (AVUS), drive approx. 6 km on the B1 towards Potsdam. Follow the sign to turn right to Pfaueninsel. There is a car park at the landing stage.

The island may only be entered on foot. Bicycles and dogs are not permitted.

If you are travelling without a car, take bus 218 from Wannsee S-Bahn station in the direction of Pfaueninsel. The journey takes 10 minutes. The final stop is directly at the landing stage. The historic double-decker bus runs every hour Mon-Fri (minute 51) and every half hour at weekends (21 & 51).

Queen Luise always spent cheerful summer days in the New Wing of the palace.

Charlottenburg Palace is located just 3 kilometres from our Hotel Louisa’s Place. Charlottenburg Palace and its extensive park are a total work of art that has grown over 300 years, characterised by outstanding architecture, magnificent interior design and perfect garden art. Monarchs of all eras have contributed to the expansion of the complex, making it a much-visited testimony to Prussian cultural history. If you want to experience the palace in its entirety, you should take your time. There is a lot to see.

The living quarters of Queen Louise

The queen’s bedroom ©SPSG, Picture: Wolfgang Pfauder

Queen Louise’s flat is located on the upper floor of the New Wing. It was originally designed for Frederick II. However, from 1747 he favoured his newly built Sanssouci Palace. The rooms were redesigned in 1796-97 as a winter residence for King Frederick William II. However, he died before they were completed. Afterwards, Luise used these suites of rooms during her regular stays in Charlottenburg. In 1809, the royal couple returned to Berlin from exile in East Prussia. Based on a design by Karl Friedrich Schinkel, a new bedroom was furnished at the end of the rooms to the queen’s taste.

The mausoleum

Immediately after the death of the popular Queen Luise in 1810, her mausoleum was built according to the ideas and at the instigation of Frederick William III. Here, too, the design can be traced back to Schinkel.

Originally, the mausoleum was only intended for the queen’s marble sarcophagus. Over the course of time, it was extended several times and today also houses the sarcophagus of Frederick William III, Emperor William I (son of Luise) and his wife Augusta. Beneath the mausoleum is a crypt in which the youngest son, Prince Albrecht, and the heart of the eldest son, Frederick William IV, are buried alongside Frederick William III’s second wife. Unfortunately, the crypt is not open to the public.

The Luisen Island

It is located between the mausoleum and the large water basin. The landscaping was commissioned by King Frederick William III in 1799. Queen Luise is said to have enjoyed sitting on a simple bench on the southern tip of the island.

A simple wooden bench still stands there today. Originally, the island was only accessible by a small ferry. Since 1989, the year the island’s landscape was restored, a bridge has led across. It leads past the bronze statues of Cupid and Venus. The bronze bust of the Queen stands at the northern tip, hidden among dense vegetation.

©SPSG Bust in the park ©SPSG, Picture: Hans Bach

The palace garden

However, the most beautiful experience is the castle park itself. It is free to stroll through at any time of year. It consists of a baroque parterre and the adjoining park, which is designed as an English landscape park.

Location & Directions

Charlottenburg Palace and Park is located in the north of the Charlottenburg district on Spandauer Damm. There is a paid car park to the left of the Court of Honour.

Bicycles are not permitted. Dogs must be kept on a lead.

Without a car, take the M45 metro bus from Zoologischer Garten station in the direction of Spandau to the Luisenplatz/Schloss Charlottenburg stop. The journey takes about 10 minutes. The bus runs every 6 minutes.