Cecilienhof Castle

Emperor Wilhelm II commissioned the construction of this palace in 1912 for his son Crown Prince Wilhelm and his wife Cecilie. Architect Paul Schultze-Naumburg designed the building in the style of English country estates, with brick and dark oak half-timbered elements characterizing the facades. Construction began in 1913 but was delayed by World War I. In August 1917, Crown Princess Cecilie moved into the completed rooms, and the palace was finally finished on October 1, 1917. After the Emperor's abdication in 1918, Wilhelm and Cecilie regained ownership of the palace in 1926 and resided there until their expulsion and expropriation in 1945. In July and August 1945, the Potsdam Conference took place here, where the victorious powers deliberated on the post-war order.