A masterpiece of Renaissance architecture
The Citadel is one of the most important and best-kept Renaissance fortresses in Europe. The fortress was built in the 16th century by Italian architects instead of Spandau Castle, when with the development of firearms medieval castles became less important. In times of crisis, it was designed to provide protection for the residence city of Berlin-Cölln and to serve as a place of refuge.
The fortress is symmetrical in structure, is completely surrounded by water, and has four bastions. A bastion is an architectural feature of a fortress which seems to spring up from the wall. The four bastions bear the names Queen (Königin), King (König), Crown Prince (Kronprinz) and Brandenburg. The fortress is designed in such a way that there are no blind spots.
The battlements can be visited in summer as part of the guided tours. You can walk on the curtain walls throughout the year – enjoy the experience!
