Schloss Cecilienhof

Emperor Wilhelm II had Cecilienhof built between 1913 and 1917 for his eldest son, Crown Prince Wilhelm, to plans by Paul Schultze-Naumburg in the manner of an English country house. It was the last palace the Hohenzollerns built. To play down the size of a house of 176 rooms, the architect grouped its wings around several courtyards and built in brick and timber, at the northern end of the Neuer Garten. Wilhelm and Cecilie of Prussia lived there until 1945.

For the conference the main rooms were refurnished, and a red star was set in the court of honour. The agreement adopted here laid the groundwork for a new order in Germany and Europe, and SPSG counts the border installations that stood near the house from 1961 to 1989 as an indirect result of it, and so part of the building's history.

Today Cecilienhof is closed for restoration under the foundation's master plan for the Prussian palaces and gardens. It has been closed since November 2024; SPSG expects the works to finish at the end of 2028 and plans to reopen the palace in 2029. While it is closed the conference rooms cannot be visited; SPSG points instead to virtual tours and digital exhibitions on Google Arts & Culture.

Sources: Stiftung Preußische Schlösser und Gärten Berlin-Brandenburg (SPSG), “Schloss Cecilienhof” (consulted 23 October 2026); SPSG, “Cecilienhof Country House: The Historic Site of the Potsdam Conference” (consulted 23 October 2026); SPSG, “Masterplan-Projekte 2026”, annual press kit, 29 April 2026 (consulted 23 October 2026).