Spandau Citadel

The citadel was built between 1559 and 1594 on an island where the Spree meets the Havel, a square with four arrowhead bastions at the corners, a design imported from Italy and among the best-preserved examples of the type in Europe. Inside stands the Juliusturm, a round keep of about 1200, the oldest secular building in Berlin; between 1874 and 1919 the imperial war treasury in gold coin was stored in it. Bats hibernate in the casemates in large numbers, and the fortress is a protected roost. A museum of political monuments holds statues removed from Berlin's streets at various times, displayed with their histories.

Background

The fortress was raised over an older medieval stronghold, and its plan follows the Italian bastioned layout known as the tracé à l'italienne. Joachim II Hector, Elector of Brandenburg, had hired Christoph Römer by 1560 to build it around the existing castle, the Palas and the Julius Tower. Francesco Chiaramella de Gandino replaced him in 1562, and Rochus Graf zu Lynar took over in 1578. The crenellated top of the Julius Tower is a Romantic design by Karl Friedrich Schinkel from 1838. From 1950 to 1986 the buildings housed the Otto Bartning vocational school. Gravestones going back to 1244 are part of the museum collection, and the inner courtyard has hosted summer open-air concerts since 2005.

Source: Wikipedia, "Spandau Citadel"

What you'll find

• The bastioned square - a Renaissance fortress plan preserved almost intact.
• The Juliusturm - a keep of about 1200, Berlin's oldest secular building.
• The bat casemates - a protected hibernation roost in the vaults.
• The monument museum - removed public statues shown with their histories.

When to go

April to October; the citadel opens year-round and hosts concerts in summer. Casemates close during the bat hibernation season, roughly November to March.

Good to know

Casemates close for months to protect bats. The site is exposed and cold in winter. Concert evenings restrict normal access.

Nearby

Spandau old town lies east; central Berlin is further east.

Key facts