Tegel Palace

Exterior view of the palace. German postage stamp with the Tegel Palace. The Tegel Palace (also known as the Humboldt Palace) is located in the district of Berlin-Tegel (Reinickendorf district) and is the most outstanding monument in the district. The palace park borders the north side of Lake Tegel. The palace and park are currently (2006) owned by the Heinz family, direct descendants of the Humboldt family, which employs the palace as a residence.

It was originally built in 1558 as a Renaissance mansion. By order of the Prince elector Federico Guillermo I of Brandenburg the building was reformed to turn it into a palace of hunting. The palace passed in 1766 to the property of the Humboldt family by marriage and became the residence of the family. Also Alexander von Humboldt and Wilhelm von Humboldt lived many years in the building. After the death of the mother, Wilhelm von Humboldt inherited the property in 1797. Between 1820 and 1824 he reformed the building to classicist taste by Karl Friedrich Schinkel.

In the park are also the tombs of the Humboldt family, made by Karl Friedrich Schinkel in 1829, in which Alexander and Wilhelm von Humboldt were also buried. In 1983 the park was declared a protected monument.

The park was until recently public access. After differences between the district government of Reinickendorf and the current owner, Ulrich von Heinz, he decided in May 2005 to prohibit entry. The palace is currently being restored (2006). Guided tours, which the owner allowed from time to time, have been suspended from the time the restoration began.

wiki