Prussia's most famous king, Frederick II (1712-1786), was also known as Frederick the Great or “Old Fritz”. He was a legend in his own lifetime but his personality was marked by conflicts: he was a patron of the arts, but also a ruthless politician, a leading supporter of the Enlightenment and tolerance (“Let every man seek heaven in his own fashion”) yet he clung to absolutism. Frederick II ascended the throne in 1740, aged 28, and under him Prussia grew into the continent's fifth major power, earning him the sobriquet “the Great”. The philosophising misanthrope loved his dogs more than his banished wife, and he self-mockingly referred to his New Palace as “fanfaronade” – vainglory.

Sanssouci Palace is one of the most famous royal residences in the world. Its creators brought forth a magnificent work of art out of nothing on a hill on the outskirts of Potsdam, then a provincial backwater. While other regents had huge representative buildings constructed for themselves, Prussia's great king preferred a small, private palace. At its centre is the oval marble hall; this was the scene of the legendary “round table” meetings, where the philosopher king debated with the leading thinkers of Europe. The concert room was the venue for flute concerts in the evenings put on by the musical monarch. Sanssouci Palace was, in accordance with the tastes of the king, the birthplace of Frederician rococo, a highly refined interplay of art and nature.
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To complete this happy paradise, a large park extends at the foot of the vineyard. There, from the baroque parterre with its pool and large fountain, a straight 2km avenue, lined with sculptures and green hedge cabinets, leads to a surprising finale. The New Palace, built by four architects between 1763 and 1769, is an architectural representation of Prussian power after the victorious Seven Years' War. 220 metres long, containing more than 200 rooms and 400 parapet figures, it is one of the largest palatial buildings of the 18th century.
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The Chinese House in the deer park at Sanssouci is one of the prettiest examples of Chinoiserie, the fashion for all things Chinese, in the 18th century. The exotic pavilion, built for Frederick the Great, has a trefoil roof topped by a fat mandarin covered in gold. Also gilded are the life-size Asiatic sandstone figures on the outside who surround the pavilion alone or in groups and represent fantastically dressed Chinese musicians and tea drinkers. Inside, beautiful paintings and exquisite porcelain complete the exotic charm which makes the Chinese House one of the most enchanting buildings of its kind.
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