Cultural heritage | Brandenburg provides money for Sanssouci

There will be more money for Sanssouci and other palaces and gardens from 2027. Photo: dpa/Jens Kalaene In his summer palace Sanssouci, the Prussian King Frederick II tried to achieve salvation according to his own style. The Potsdam Conference of the four most important victorious powers of the Second World War met in Cecilienhof Palace in 1945. The Russian colony Alexandrowka was created from 1826 to 1827 in memory of Tsar Alexander I. What these three objects in Potsdam have in common is that they, along with several other magnificent pieces, are part of the world cultural heritage.

The Prussian palaces and gardens are “world famous,” enthused Brandenburg’s Culture Minister Manja Schüle (SPD) on Tuesday. »The parks in particular offer many people relaxation. But: They have suffered in recent years, from climate change as well as from more intensive leisure use. This is also why the state of Brandenburg has repeatedly increased funding for the Prussian Palaces and Gardens Foundation (SPSG) in an unscheduled manner in recent years.

As if that wasn't enough, the state of Brandenburg is giving an additional 800,000 euros a year to eliminate the deficits in the care of the castle gardens. In this way, Brandenburg prevents park visitors from charging admission, says the Potsdam State Chancellery. Park entry has been discussed repeatedly for decades, but has so far been averted. Instead, admission only has to be paid for the foundation's castle museums in Berlin, Potsdam, Oranienburg, Rheinsberg, Königs Wusterhausen and Paretz.

“In this way, we are helping to permanently secure and develop our world cultural heritage.”

On Tuesday, the cabinet approved an agreement presented by Schüle on future financing. Accordingly, the foundation should receive at least 54.55 million euros annually from 2027 to 2030. Brandenburg contributes almost 19.6 million euros, the federal government provides around 22.6 million euros and the state of Berlin covers the rest of the sum. “In this way, we are helping to permanently secure and develop our world cultural heritage,” says Minister Schüle. In addition, 400 million euros will be available by the end of the decade from a special investment program by the federal government and the states of Berlin and Brandenburg. In the years 2023 to 2026, the SPSG was only contractually guaranteed 48 million euros, of which 17 million euros came from the state of Brandenburg.

To ensure that there is no charge for park admission, the city of Potsdam transferred up to one million euros annually to the foundation for many years. From 2026 onwards, the city could no longer afford this financially and canceled the subsidy. The state of Brandenburg stepped in. There was an annual ticket in the room for 20 euros, which would have cost twelve euros at a discount. A day ticket would have been available for three euros, with a reduced price of two euros.

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