Sanssouci is a rococo summer palace in Potsdam, near Berlin, built for King Frederick the Great of Prussia as a private retreat from the formalities of court life. The king helped to plan it and the architect was Georg Wenzeslaus von Knobelsdorff. Its name is French for without worry. The palace is a single-storey building set on a terraced hillside with vineyards, and it houses elegant rooms, including a music room where Frederick, a keen flautist, played. The French writer Voltaire stayed there as a guest. Frederick asked to be buried on the terrace, and his wish was fulfilled in 1991. The palace and its park are part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Before and after
- 1746Founding of Princeton University
- from 29 January 1746 to 22 February 1746Siege of Brussels
- 30 March 1746Birth of Francisco Goya
- 27 April 1746Battle of Culloden
- 1747Construction of Sanssouci Palace
- from 1747 to 1826Durrani Empire
- 1748Construction of Suomenlinna
- from 1748 to 1767Indian campaign of Ahmad Shah Durrani
- 1748Excavations begin at Pompeii
More in Art, literature & culture
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- 10 November 1517Origins of Protestantism
- from 1545 to 1648Counter-Reformation
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- 1565Construction of Agra Fort
- 1622Publication of Othello
The era
This moment belongs to the Early modern world (1500 CE to 1760 CE), voyages, printing and new ideas. You can also browse everything in the 18th century.