Schloss Meseberg

Schloss Meseberg

Ceiling fresco by Bernhard Rode

Built by the Wartensleben family in 1739 to replace a previous building on the site that had burnt down, the Schloss passed to the von der Gröben family in the second half of the century. In 1774, the property and adjacent land parcels including three neighboring estates were purchased by Prince Henry of Prussia, who resided in nearby Rheinsberg Palace, and one year later were gifted to his paramour, Christian Ludwig von Kaphengst (1740-1800). In this way Heinrich complied with the command of his brother, King Frederick II, to remove Kaphengst from the court at Rheinsberg. Kaphengst furnished and decorated the palace lavishly, commissioning ceiling frescoes from Bernhard Rode, including one depicting an apotheosis of Heinrich. The estate grew with the construction of additional buildings, including the stables. Under Kaphengst and his successors, the Baroque garden was extended, and an English garden edging most of the lake shore was landscaped by Peter Joseph Lenné.

The property was later purchased by the Lessing family, owners of the Berlin newspaper Vossische Zeitung. During the Nazi era, it was forcibly acquired by Hermann Göring, only to be appropriated by the Soviet occupation in 1945. The East German government used it to house a grocery store and school rooms, which preserved it from demolition. A plan to renovate the dilapidated palace and turn it into a conference center for the Academy of Sciences was never realized.[1]

Following the reunification of Germany the estate was bought by the Messerschmitt Foundation in 1995. The foundation, devoted to preserving historical landmarks, spent 11 years and more than $30 million renovating the stucco building, with its Ionic half-columns and high mansard roof.[2][1]

In 2004, the Messerschmitt Foundation agreed to lease the palace to the Federal German Government for 20 years, for a symbolic annual rent of one euro. The government subsequently spent $17 million to install security and communications equipment and period furniture and paintings.[1] Since 2007, it has been the retreat of the Chancellor of Germany (as Chequers is for the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Camp David for the President of the United States). The government regularly holds its cabinet conclave at Meseberg. Chancellor Angela Merkel hosts many state guests at Meseberg. From 2015 to 2018, however, the venue was used only eight days a year on average, including two annual public events (an open house and a Christmas tree lighting ceremony).[3]

In their so-called Meseberg Declaration,[4] Merkel and President Emmanuel Macron of France publicly committed themselves in 2018 to a partnership aimed at reinvigorating European integration.[5]

Park of Schloss Meseberg

Aerial view of the palace and park

The palace basement once housed the kitchen of the local agricultural cooperative. Today it houses the chancellor's wine bar, with seats for 30 guests.[1]

• List of Baroque residences

• Media related to Schloss Meseberg at Wikimedia Commons
• Official website (German)

52°58′21″N 13°06′04″E