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A small Neo-Classical palace in Park Sanssouci, built in 1829 by Schinkel for the heir to the throne, Friedrich Wilhelm IV. Particularly worth seeing is the tent-like Humboldtsaal.

The Prussian King Frederick the Great wished to live “sans souci”, in a palace outside the boundaries of the hated city – the French phrase means “without worries”. In 1745, Frederick commissioned his favourite architect Georg Wenzeslaus von Knobelsdorff to plan and construct this magnificent Rococo palace according to his own designs. The main building with its yellow façade rises proudly above the former terraced vineyards, leading up to the domed building and its elegant marble hall at the centre of the palace complex. In both its design and shape, the marble hall pays homage to the Pantheon in Rome. To its left and right are some very attractive rooms designed by von Knobelsdorff and Johann August Nahl; these include the famous concert room, adorned with paintings by Antoine Pesne, and Frederick’s library. In this wing, the monarch liked to play the flute or to philosophize with Voltaire. Valuable paintings by Frederick the Great’s favourite painter, the French artist Antoine Watteau, adorn the palace walls.

This small and very expensive palace hotel is situated in a quiet part of Grunewald, some distance from the centre. The hotel is popular with filmstars and celebrities wishing to get away from the crowds. Karl Lagerfeld designed the interior – and for a mere €1,500 you can even rent his permanent bedroom suite for one night.

It is easy to while away an entire day in the extensive palace park, which covers 287 hectares (709 acres) of land. Of the many charming buildings hidden in the lavishly designed landscape garden, the Rococo-style Chinesisches Teehaus, built in 1754–6 by Johann Gottfried Büring, is especially worth seeking out. Originally it served as a tea-house and dining room, and it now houses an exhibition of porcelain pieces from East Asia. The Römische Bäder (Roman Baths), a group of pavilions next to the lake, are also inspired by historic models. Modelled on an Italian Renaissance villa, they were built between 1829 and 1840 by Friedrich Karl Schinkel as guest and bathing houses. The Orangerie, constructed in 1851–60 by Friedrich August Stüler, was also originally intended to accommodate the king’s guests. Today it houses a small gallery of paintings.

Today Schlossplatz seems deserted, but once the Stadtschloss (town residence) of the Hohenzollerns stood here. It was blown up by the East German government in 1950–51, and today just a few historic fragments of the original remain. The debate about the reconstruction of the palace began in the early 1990s and, in 1993, a spectacular model was built; however the costs are prohibitive and make it unlikely that this venture will ever succeed. Remains include the façade of the doorway where Karl Liebknecht supposedly proclaimed the Socialist Republic in 1918. The portal has been incorporated into the former Staatsratsgebäude on the south side of the square. On its eastern side, Schlossplatz is bordered by the Palast der Republik (palace of the republic), the former seat of the East German parliament. The building, dating from 1976, will be torn down in the near future.

Schönhauser Allee, 3 km (2 miles) long, is the main artery of the district. In the centre of the dual carriageway is the high-level viaduct of U-Bahn line U 2, painted green. Schönhauser Allee, which runs north-east from Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz to the edge of town, is lined with shops and a few pubs. Many buildings have not yet been restored and give a good impression of the “old” Prenzlauer Berg – especially the buildings between Senefelderplatz and Danziger Straße.

In the middle of Tiergarten stands the 62-m (203-ft) high Victory Column, erected to commemorate Prussian victory against Denmark in the war of 1864. After victory over Austria in 1866 and France 1871, the structure was crowned by a 35-ton gilded statue of the goddess Victoria. There are excellent views from the viewing platform (see Historic Buildings) .

Narrow Sophienstraße has been beautifully restored and now looks exactly as it did in the late 18th century. A number of shops and arts and crafts workshops are now based in the modest buildings and courtyards. Close by stands Sophienkirche, the first Protestant parish church, founded by Queen Sophie Luise in 1712. Next to the Baroque church is a small cemetery with some 18th-century tombs.

The giant Soviet Memorial near Brandenburg Gate was officially opened on 7 November 1945, the anniversary of the Russian October Revolution. It is flanked by two tanks, supposedly the first ones to reach Berlin. The memorial commemorates 300,000 Red Army soldiers who died during World War II in the struggle to liberate Berlin. The large column was constructed from marble blocks from Hitler’s Reich Chancellery, which had just been torn down. The column itself, designed by Nicolai Sergijevski, is crowned by the huge bronze statue by Lev Kerbel. Behind the memorial, 2,500 Russian soldiers are buried.