Sanssouci is the former summer palace of
Frederick the Great, King of
Prussia, in
Potsdam, near
Berlin. It is often counted among the German rivals of
Versailles. While Sanssouci is in the more intimate
Rococo style and is far smaller than its
French Baroque counterpart, it too is notable for the numerous
temples and
follies in
the park. The palace was designed/built by
Georg Wenzeslaus von Knobelsdorff between 1745 and 1747 to fulfill King Frederick's need for a private residence where he could relax away from the pomp and ceremony of the
Berlin court. The palace's name emphasises this; it is a French phrase (
sans souci), which translates as "without concerns", meaning "without worries" or "carefree", symbolising that the palace was a place for relaxation rather than a seat of power.
