Ruinenberg
Encyclopedia
From the north side of Sanssouci Palace in Potsdam
, between the columns, one can see the colonnade of the court of the Ruinenberg on the other side.
In 1748, Frederick the Great had a tank with a capacity of around 7600 m³ built on lands previously used for partridge
and pheasant
hunts. Master Builder Georg Wenzeslaus von Knobelsdorff
and Theater Painter Innocente Bellavite designed blinds of imitation antique ruins. A Monopteros
(round temple), three high ionic columns, a small pyramid, and a ruined wall, designed as if from a Roman
theatre, were grouped around the pool.
Frederick wanted a lot of water for his then planned projects: a fountain complex, the Neptune Grotto
, and a marble colonnade in Sanssouci Park
, which is no longer standing. The plans intended to draw water from the Havel
with windmills into the high basin on the mountain. It then flowed under the park through a tubular system of hollowed tree trunks, which was to bring the water up into the fountains.
Though the king poured a great deal of money into the project, it yielded no success because of the technical ignorance of his men. After many years of effort, Frederick’s dream of fountains was finally given up in 1780.
In a letter to Voltaire
, he wrote in 1778:
Around a century after the construction of Sanssouci, Friedrich Wilhelm IV realized Frederick’s dream. Through new technical possibilities of the steam engine
and a modern piping system, the fountains were put into place. A building was erected especially for the steam engine (August Borsig
) and its pump machine from 1841 to 1843 on the shore of the Havel. Disguised as a mosque
, it was designed by Ludwig Persius
.
Persius also had plans to extend the theater wall on the Ruinenberg with a 23 m high look-out tower, in imitation of a medieval watchtower. After his early death, the so-called Norman Tower was built by Ferdinand von Arnim
in 1846.
Potsdam
Potsdam is the capital city of the German federal state of Brandenburg and part of the Berlin/Brandenburg Metropolitan Region. It is situated on the River Havel, southwest of Berlin city centre....
, between the columns, one can see the colonnade of the court of the Ruinenberg on the other side.
In 1748, Frederick the Great had a tank with a capacity of around 7600 m³ built on lands previously used for partridge
Partridge
Partridges are birds in the pheasant family, Phasianidae. They are a non-migratory Old World group.These are medium-sized birds, intermediate between the larger pheasants and the smaller quails. Partridges are native to Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East...
and pheasant
Pheasant
Pheasants refer to some members of the Phasianinae subfamily of Phasianidae in the order Galliformes.Pheasants are characterised by strong sexual dimorphism, males being highly ornate with bright colours and adornments such as wattles and long tails. Males are usually larger than females and have...
hunts. Master Builder Georg Wenzeslaus von Knobelsdorff
Georg Wenzeslaus von Knobelsdorff
Hans Georg Wenzeslaus von Knobelsdorff was a painter and architect in Prussia.Knobelsdorff was born in Kuckädel, now in Krosno Odrzańskie County. A soldier in the service of Prussia, he resigned his commission in 1729 as captain so that he could pursue his interest in architecture...
and Theater Painter Innocente Bellavite designed blinds of imitation antique ruins. A Monopteros
Monopteros
A monopteros is a circular colonnade supporting a roof but without any walls. Unlike a tholos , it does not have a cella. In Greek and especially Roman antiquity the term could also be used for a tholos...
(round temple), three high ionic columns, a small pyramid, and a ruined wall, designed as if from a Roman
Roman architecture
Ancient Roman architecture adopted certain aspects of Ancient Greek architecture, creating a new architectural style. The Romans were indebted to their Etruscan neighbors and forefathers who supplied them with a wealth of knowledge essential for future architectural solutions, such as hydraulics...
theatre, were grouped around the pool.
Frederick wanted a lot of water for his then planned projects: a fountain complex, the Neptune Grotto
Neptune Grotto
thumb|Neptune GrottoThe Neptune Grotto close to the Obelisk entrance in Sanssouci Park, Potsdam, was created by Frederick the Great between 1751 and 1757 to beautify the park....
, and a marble colonnade in Sanssouci Park
Sanssouci Park
Sanssouci Park is a large park surrounding Sanssouci Palace in Potsdam, Germany. Following the terracing of the vineyard and the completion of the palace, the surroundings were included in the structure. A baroque flower garden with lawns, flower beds, hedges and trees was created. In the hedge...
, which is no longer standing. The plans intended to draw water from the Havel
Havel
The Havel is a river in north-eastern Germany, flowing through the German states of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Brandenburg, Berlin and Saxony-Anhalt. It is a right tributary of the Elbe river and in length...
with windmills into the high basin on the mountain. It then flowed under the park through a tubular system of hollowed tree trunks, which was to bring the water up into the fountains.
Though the king poured a great deal of money into the project, it yielded no success because of the technical ignorance of his men. After many years of effort, Frederick’s dream of fountains was finally given up in 1780.
In a letter to Voltaire
Voltaire
François-Marie Arouet , better known by the pen name Voltaire , was a French Enlightenment writer, historian and philosopher famous for his wit and for his advocacy of civil liberties, including freedom of religion, free trade and separation of church and state...
, he wrote in 1778:
- I wanted to have a water jet in my garden: Euler calculated the force of the wheels necessary to raise the water to a reservoir, from where it should fall back through channels, finally spurting out in Sans Souci. My mill was carried out geometrically and could not raise a mouthful of water closer than fifty paces to the reservoir. Vanity of vanities! Vanity of geometry!
Steam engine
A steam engine is a heat engine that performs mechanical work using steam as its working fluid.Steam engines are external combustion engines, where the working fluid is separate from the combustion products. Non-combustion heat sources such as solar power, nuclear power or geothermal energy may be...
and a modern piping system, the fountains were put into place. A building was erected especially for the steam engine (August Borsig
August Borsig
Johann Friedrich August Borsig was a German businessman who founded the Borsig-Werke factory.Borsig was born in Breslau , the son of cuirassier and carpenter foreman Johann George Borsig...
) and its pump machine from 1841 to 1843 on the shore of the Havel. Disguised as a mosque
Mosque
A mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. The word is likely to have entered the English language through French , from Portuguese , from Spanish , and from Berber , ultimately originating in — . The Arabic word masjid literally means a place of prostration...
, it was designed by Ludwig Persius
Ludwig Persius
Friedrich Ludwig Persius was a Prussian architect and a student of Karl Friedrich Schinkel....
.
Persius also had plans to extend the theater wall on the Ruinenberg with a 23 m high look-out tower, in imitation of a medieval watchtower. After his early death, the so-called Norman Tower was built by Ferdinand von Arnim
Ferdinand von Arnim
Ferdinand von Arnim was a German architect and watercolour-painter. He was a student of Karl Friedrich Schinkel and Ludwig Persius who mainly worked in Berlin and Potsdam....
in 1846.