Planning

Georg v. Gayl Landschaftsarchitekten

products & services

base-elements ● block-steps ● framing-elements ● paving-stones ● slabs

Location

Humboldtstraße 5-6, 14467 Potsdam

reconstructed historic center of Potsdam

Potsdam’s historic center on the Alter Markt is in the process of regaining its former glory. After the reconstruction of the City Palace and Palazzo Pompei, the renovation of the marble obelisk and the reconstruction of the Old Town Hall and the Knobelsdorffhaus, the Palais Barberini has been shining again in its old splendor since January 2017. With its belgrano® natural stones, the Berliner Steincontor BESCO was involved in the reconstruction of this architectural gem in the heart of the Brandenburg state capital.

The Palais Barberini, built in 1771/72 as a classicist-Baroque town house based on designs by Carl von Gontard, was part of the representative redesign of the Potsdam city center in the mid-18th century according to the specifications of King Friedrich II of Prussia. The Palais Barberini faced the old market with the city palace and the Nikolaikirche. It formed its south-eastern end and was one of the last buildings on the square to be built under Friedrich II.

Palais Barberini shines in old splendor

When it was decided in 2005 to restore the earlier buildings around the Alter Markt, the documents that were preserved at the Palais Barberini allowed the façades of the square and the courtyard façade of the central building to be faithfully reconstructed and the original cubature to be maintained. It was therefore possible to rebuild it between 2013 and 2016 in a form largely based on the original.

The Palais Barberini has housed the “Museum Barberini” since its reopening and thus ties in with the cultural tradition of the house. In addition to temporary exhibitions with a focus on impressionism, art from the GDR as well as German and international art after 1989 from the private collection of the Hasso Plattner Funding Foundation can be seen. The British Guardian counted the museum among the most important openings of the year in the world. The association “Stadtbild Deutschland” awarded the reconstruction of the Barberini Palace the title “Building of the Year 2016” – both signs of the high quality of the reconstruction.

BESCO was an important partner in the restoration of the Palais Barberini and the outdoor facilities designed by Georg von Gayl. The Berlin natural stone project partner supplied project-specific beige-yellow granite from its proven and high-quality belgrano® natural stone range for the paving and slab surfaces as well as the plinth, stairs and seating elements in the courtyard. The paving stones for the forecourt also come from Berliner Steincontor BESCO GmbH. As a project partner for natural stones, BESCO accompanied the entire material selection process for the outdoor facilities in the planning phase and provided appropriate sampling, technical clarification and costing.

The Palais Barberini is not the only project in which BESCO was involved in the redesign of the historic center of Potsdam: The total of 4,000 m² of red-colored paved areas for the forecourt and the Old Market as well as the flooring in front of the New Parliament in the reconstructed city palace also get along the range of specialists for large projects and special requirements. In this way, BESCO helped to revive one of the most beautiful baroque squares in Germany.