September 2, 2020, 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Redwood Library and Athenæum

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Join the globe trekking architectural historian, John Tschirch, in a visual feast as he lectures on a selection of 17th and 18th century European palaces where images of power played supporting roles to pleasure. Among the palaces included are Drottiningholm, the summer palace of Swedish Queens; Schonbrunn, the “Austrian Versailles” for the imperial family near Vienna; Sanssouci and the villas of Prussian princes and princesses in the verdant countryside of Potsdam; and Tsars-koe-Selo, the luxurious retreat of Russian Emperors and Empresses.

The Royal Villas of Potsdam: Retreats without a Care 

Prussian kings and princes built a series of retreats in the idyllic greenery of Potsdam outside of Berlin. From the Rococo masterpiece of Frederick the Great’s Sanssouci, meaning “without a care,” to Neoclassical villas evoking the atmosphere of ancient Rome, Potsdam is a royal dream made real by the hand of great architects.

These architectural and landscape creations allowed for a full reign of fantasy on the part of their patrons and designers, resulting in some of the most innovative and finely crafted works of art in western culture. Each of the palaces in this lecture series has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, encapsulating the history and culture of its age, and practicing sustainable land management and collections conservation.

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