Grave of Frederick the Great

Maulbeerallee / Zur historischen Muehle / Schopenhauerstrasse

Frederick the Great died in an armchair in Sanssouci Palace on 17 August 1786. His wish was to be buried at Sanssouci, on the highest of the Weinberg Terraces. He was to be buried alongside his favourite hunting dogs.

His successor, Friedrich Wilhelm II, ignored these wishes, and had his uncle buried in the Potsdam Garnisonkirche (Garrison Church) next to Friedrich Wilhelm I. He remained there until 1943 when he was moved to a Luftwaffe bunker in the face of Allied bombing raids on Berlin. Fearing destruction of his remains by Russian forces, in early 1945 he was moved further west to Marburg.

In 1991, after the re-unification of Germany - and exactly 205 years after his death - Frederick the Great was brought back to Sanssouci. He was buried according to his original wishes - beside Sanssouci.