Once a Royal Privilege, Peacock Island Welcomes All Berliners

While Berlin is surely a city with countless historical and cultural attractions, there is always the danger visitors may become overwhelmed, and feel the urge to escape the concrete jungle — for a day, at least.

Luckily, the perfect getaway exists within city limits: the Pfaueninsel, or Peacock Island is located on the southwestern fringe of Berlin and surrounded by woods and the waters of the river Havel. The entire island is a nature reserve and was named a Unesco World Heritage Site in 1990.

Getting there is fairly easy: there is a direct bus from the easily accessible Wannsee train station (around 30 minutes from the center of Berlin) which will drop weary city dwellers directly at the docks. From there, they can take a ferry to Peacock Island.

The ferry crossing costs 3 euros ($4), which might seem a bit much given that it takes just a few minutes to reach the other side, but since there is no additional fee to actually set foot on the island, and one can spend the whole day there, in the end it is quite reasonable.

On a warm sunny day, there will be quite a few visitors to Peacock Island, but it never gets too crowded and always feels tranquil and peaceful. Most of the 67-hectare island is covered by woodland, but there are also open areas with fields and lawns — a great setting for a picnic or for simply lounging on the grass.

The well-maintained pathways, lined with enough benches to rest one’s feet, lead visitors to points of interest, such as a small castle, a hunting lodge and a dairy farm.

The 200-year-old castle itself not only provides scenic photo opportunities, but also comes with an interesting history. Tours through the castle, which last around thirty minutes, can be booked through the souvenir shop near the docks.

Tour guide Ellen Rothenbuecher explains that the castle was built between 1794 and 1795 for King Friedrich Wilhelm II and his mistress Wilhelmine, Countess of Lichtenau, who had been elevated by the king to nobility.

“It was mostly the countess who decorated the elegant rooms in this castle — she picked out the furniture and the wallpapers,” she says, adding that the castle had been built with the purpose of making an appealing destination for day trips.

The king died in 1797 and thus wasn’t able to spend that much time in the castle. His son and successor, King Friedrich Wilhelm III, however, was so fond of the island that he spent two weeks in the castle every summer together with his wife Queen Luise and their seven children, four boys and three girls.

“The castle was too small for the whole family, so the children stayed in a separate lodging with their tutors,” Rothenbuecher explains.

While the castle may not be as grand or lavish as one might expect in a summer residency of kings, it is noteworthy that all the furnishings are original — from the mirrors and the desk in the king’s study to the chinaware, the paintings on the ceiling and the drawings on the wall. A selection of Queen Luise’s clothes and hats provide a glimpse at the fashion of the early 19th century.

“After King Friedrich Wilhelm III died, the castle remained largely unused,” Rothenbuecher says. “The interior of the castle wasn’t changed anymore, and since visitors were rare, everything is well-preserved.”

During the time the castle was built, English garden and landscape architecture was in vogue; that’s why the open space surrounding the castle is beautifully arranged and adorned with sculptures, flowers and plants.

King Friedrich Wilhelm II was the one who brought the first peacocks to the estate for the simple purpose of adorning the island.

“The peacocks reminded him of birds of paradise,” Rothenbuecher says. “He wanted to show everyone that being on this island should feel a little bit like being in paradise.”

Under King Friedrich Wilhelm III, who was an animal lover, a menagerie was built, filled with exotic animals and modeled after the Menagerie du Jardin des Plantes in Paris.

The king, who allegedly fed many of the animals himself, made sure to share his fondness for wildlife with the public and opened the island three days a week for visitors.

Later on, in 1842, under King Friedrich Wilhelm IV, the animals were transferred to the new zoo in Berlin, the first of its kind in Germany. The peacocks, and some native as well as exotic birds remained.

A curved staircase leads to the second floor of the two-story castle. Here, in the main room, the king entertained guests.

“It was used for dining, parties and concerts,” Rothenbuecher says, pointing to the original pianoforte of Queen Luise. “The room was also popular because of its lovely view; from here, one could overlook the river.”

The kitchen, she adds, was housed in a separate building.

“That was actually quite common at the time, to avoid the strong smell coming from the kitchen, but also for fire safety,” she explains.

The stairway leads to the top of the castle, where the king, his family and guests could step on to the bridge and enjoy the scenery from above. These days, however, this bridge is run-down and therefore off limits.

After taking a tour of the castle, exploring the island is mandatory. It takes about one hour to go around the entire island. The peacocks, of which only a few dozen remain, are tame, yet it is advisable not to bother them. Only by sitting quietly, they will feel safe enough to approach the visitors who in return can get a closer look at these beautiful creatures.

Cars, bicycles, dogs — they all are forbidden on Peacock Island. Even smoking is prohibited. While these restrictions may seem excessive, it is exactly what makes the island so appealing: one has the opportunity to be at one with nature, and Berlin, though so close by, seems to be on another continent.

This article was first published on August 3, 2014.