the new palace

ok, here are the new palace pictures. it was gorgeous, gorgeous! this is the palace i raved about so much that b decided to go through it too. frederick the great's naturalistic rococo style is amazing--from the shells to the dogs to the foxes to the spider webs. it's gloriously decadent!

 this was my favorite room in the palace. it is called the grotto. it has thousands of shells and rocks encrusted in the walls. and the room is huge! it is mind-blowing.

 those are all shells!

 the rocks!

 petrified wood.

 i walked around gawking in this room. i kept thinking to myself "i want this!"

 the rest of the palace was over-the-top too. 

 i particularly liked the russian phrase painted on the wall behind these pictures. for some reason the english audio guide we listened to didn't explain why that was there.

 look at the detail in that ceiling.

 and there was a lot of porcelain, which was nicknamed "white gold." 

 look at that ceiling!

 the place where once of the royals died. i forget now who it was.

 this wallpaper was gorgeous--woven silk.

 if you can't tell, we liked the fireplaces.

 look at that. i mean good grief. frederick the great loved the arts if you can't tell.

 this room was springy and pretty.

 i liked the shadow painted on to the wall here--it makes the hanging elements look quite real.

 the original bathroom installed into the palace.

 how the royals could call for help if needed.

 look at that white gold.

 this parquet floor is remarkable.

 what rococo palace would be complete without plump cherubs?

 famous rococo paintings. i have never been a fan of the rococo style. in fact, it is (of any style i have studied) my least favorite. too frothy and superficial. but these paintings made more sense in the context of this palace. 

 they are still not my favorite (by a long shot), but i can appreciate them now with new eyes.

 such detail on the walls and ceilings. 

 this floor was gorgeous too. it was so heavy (all marble) that they had to completely renovate the palace to have it not make the whole place collapse. of course, if frederick would have had this on the first floor that would have been just fine. but he opted to do it on the second floor!

 look at those rococo shells--it is from this decorative motif that the style got its name.

 i particularly like this yellow shell.

oh the Neues Palais!