DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.16633#0212
192
History of Garden Art
completed plan, but Frederick insisted on making the final decisions about every detail,
hence no doubt amateurish features are to be seen in places. Sans-Souci really became
little by little a Marly to the king. It was not in the main axis of the castle that the garden
was widened, but at both sides on the slopes of the hill (Fig. 511). On the top the king
made on each side of his house another one-storied building, on the west side a small
shelter for horsemen (at first intended for an orangery, and looking out on a cherry-
garden), and on the east the picture-gallery. From this a terrace-garden descended. The
dividing walls, which were covered with shells, led down by steps and grottoes into the
so-called Dutch garden, a parterre d'email, laid out with glass beads and Dutch vases
for ornament. Semicircular berceaux led to a lower balustraded terrace. Another small
FIG. 512. SANS-SOUCI, POTSDAM—THE COLONNADE IN THE PARK
secluded garden, which still breathes the spirit of Frederick, lies farther to the east of
this one; on the top is a grotto of Neptune with the god, and nymphs and tritons escort-
ing him. A sort of nympha^um was in the mind's eye of the king in this part of the garden.
He had planned handsome water-works, which were to feed this grotto and others; also
cascades, but he was badly misled—a most unusual thing at that time—and much to his
chagrin, he could never get enough water for them.
By the side of the nymphaeum, at the foot of the hill, was the chief entrance to the
garden, a semicircular gateway with beautiful doors in the middle, and made with double
columns, which at one time also had convenient low doors. They were unfortunately
replaced by the immense, ostentatious gates fit for an exhibition, which now quite spoil
the delicate beauty of the entrance. From this part there is a wide, very long avenue leading
first through a front garden, and then right through the main parterre and across the whole
of the park (Fig. 511), which extends on the west of the castle, and was originally meant
for deer and pheasants. Behind the parterre this main axis again passes through boskets
History of Garden Art
completed plan, but Frederick insisted on making the final decisions about every detail,
hence no doubt amateurish features are to be seen in places. Sans-Souci really became
little by little a Marly to the king. It was not in the main axis of the castle that the garden
was widened, but at both sides on the slopes of the hill (Fig. 511). On the top the king
made on each side of his house another one-storied building, on the west side a small
shelter for horsemen (at first intended for an orangery, and looking out on a cherry-
garden), and on the east the picture-gallery. From this a terrace-garden descended. The
dividing walls, which were covered with shells, led down by steps and grottoes into the
so-called Dutch garden, a parterre d'email, laid out with glass beads and Dutch vases
for ornament. Semicircular berceaux led to a lower balustraded terrace. Another small
FIG. 512. SANS-SOUCI, POTSDAM—THE COLONNADE IN THE PARK
secluded garden, which still breathes the spirit of Frederick, lies farther to the east of
this one; on the top is a grotto of Neptune with the god, and nymphs and tritons escort-
ing him. A sort of nympha^um was in the mind's eye of the king in this part of the garden.
He had planned handsome water-works, which were to feed this grotto and others; also
cascades, but he was badly misled—a most unusual thing at that time—and much to his
chagrin, he could never get enough water for them.
By the side of the nymphaeum, at the foot of the hill, was the chief entrance to the
garden, a semicircular gateway with beautiful doors in the middle, and made with double
columns, which at one time also had convenient low doors. They were unfortunately
replaced by the immense, ostentatious gates fit for an exhibition, which now quite spoil
the delicate beauty of the entrance. From this part there is a wide, very long avenue leading
first through a front garden, and then right through the main parterre and across the whole
of the park (Fig. 511), which extends on the west of the castle, and was originally meant
for deer and pheasants. Behind the parterre this main axis again passes through boskets