Prussian Arcadia: A journey through a dream destination for small classic cars
Lasse Johannsen
· 27.06.2026
Summer, sunshine and Berlin air. And plenty of it. The 15er dinghy cruiser ‘Tina’ makes good headway under the reefed mainsail alone. The wind is gusty, and there are gaps in the trees along the shore. The tiller and sheet of the dinghy demand your full attention. The idle bowman, however, can let his gaze wander.
There is plenty to see along the Havel, on which the ‘Tina’ is sailing south in formation with the pirate ship ‘Stups’, having left her home waters at Stößensee. To starboard, for example, the spicy Lanke with the Academic Sailing Club’s boathouse, which is over a hundred years old. A little later, on the port side, the island of Schwanenwerder, behind which the Wannsee . But ‘Tina’s’ bow points south-west, and the dinghy passes Peacock Island with its romantic castle. Ahead lies the Church of the Saviour in Sacrow, and on the horizon, fairytale-like landscapes.
You might also find this interesting:
We are sailing right through the UNESCO World Heritage Site ‘Palaces and Parks of Potsdam and Berlin’, better known as ‘Prussian Arcadia’. Here, silent witnesses to the past line the banks, telling tales of history. Above all, however, we are following in the footsteps of German sailing. For although it is hardly known today, this is where the sport’s roots were laid more than 200 years ago. And those roots are not only still palpable today, but can also still be seen.
How recreational sailing came to the Havel
Recreational sailing came to Germany in 1814 as a gift. To celebrate the victory over Napoleon, the British King George IV presented the Prussian royal family with a sailing boat. It was around ten metres long, had three masts and was used so extensively for trips on the Havel lakes that, by 1832, it had become too old and worn out to continue, and was replaced by the 26-metre-long “Royal Louise” was replaced. This 1:3 scale replica of the frigate “Thetis” from the Wars of Liberation was another gift from the British monarch, who was now known as William IV.
Having learnt from their experience with the first pleasure boat, a boathouse was built for its successor on the southern shore of Peacock Island to shelter it during the winter; it still stands today. The entire island had been commissioned by the Prussian royal family under Frederick William II for their summer entertainment, and it was here that the frigate initially found its mooring.
In 1842, Frederick William IV acquired a plot of land on Lake Jungfernsee and had a small harbour facility built there for the royal pleasure boats. The existing building served as accommodation for the sailors seconded to operate the frigate. This gave rise to the name ‘Matrosenstation’ (sailors’ station).
Emperor Wilhelm II had the complex redesigned in the early 1890s, modelled on a Norwegian example. When the complex, which had been partially destroyed during the Second World War, was rebuilt from 2010 onwards, this final version of the sailors’ station known as ‘Kongsnæs’ served as the model.
And so anyone who sails past there in the summer – such as the crew of the dinghy cruiser ‘Tina’ – can still admire this historic scene today. With a bit of luck, the square sails of the miniature frigate, with its gun ports and cannons, will also glide through this scene. This is because, between 1996 and 2000, the “Royal Louise” was also faithfully reconstructed. Today, she has her summer berth at the Seglerhaus am Wannsee sailing club.
It was on board the original vessel that the passion for sailing first took root in the hearts of the Hohenzollern scions Heinrich and Wilhelm. Both became enthusiastic patrons of the emerging sport of sailing in the German Empire, which is why the ‘Royal Louise’ is still associated today with the early days of organised sailing in Germany.
A break at the Church of Our Saviour in Sacrow
But before heading out onto the Jungfernsee, Sacrow’s Heilandskirche is the perfect place to take a break. With their swords raised, ‘Tina’ and the pirate ‘Stups’, who is sailing with her, step onto the beach right next to the church.
This place, too, is steeped in history. It was originally a harbour for fishermen on the Havel. Frederick William IV had the church built after he acquired the Sacrow estate in 1840. The court architect Ludwig Persius designed the church, which juts out into the water, to resemble a ship moored on the riverbank.
During the period of German division, the Berlin Wall ran right across the church grounds. The building stood neglected in the no-man’s-land between the Wall and the River Havel and fell into disrepair. However, this was only visible from the West Berlin bank. And so, a few years before German reunification, the initiative to save the Sacrow Church of the Saviour came from the then Governing Mayor of Berlin, Richard von Weizsäcker.
This tranquil spot exudes a sense of sacred magic. The interior of the Church of the Saviour has been meticulously restored. From the colonnade that runs all the way round, however, the view stretches across the River Havel, and one does indeed get the feeling that the church is about to set sail for Arcadia.
From Jungfernsee, the views open up
Feeling inspired, we set sail again after a quick snack in the cockpit. The wind has died down and the midday heat has subsided.
We slowly continue southwards towards Lake Jungfernsee. Ahead, the Glienicker Bridge comes into view; it spans the River Havel between Berlin and Potsdam, the capital of Brandenburg, and was the scene of agent exchanges during the period of German division.
Behind the bridge stands Babelsberg Palace, designed by Karl Friedrich Schinkel in the English Neo-Gothic style, set amidst a park laid out by the landscape architect Hermann, Prince of Pückler-Muskau. It was built between 1833 and 1855 for the future Emperor Wilhelm I, who, together with his wife, used it as a summer residence for more than 50 years.
Even before that, your gaze is drawn to the Casino and Glienicke Palace, also set amidst a large pleasure garden designed by Peter Joseph Lenné, which stretches to port all the way down to the shore of the island of Wannsee. The buildings were designed by Karl Friedrich Schinkel for Prince Carl of Prussia, who was 21 at the time. He had been inspired by a trip to Italy, and so a summer residence with a southern European charm was created.
If there were no traffic restrictions, it would be possible to cross the bridge, and from Glienicker Lake one could even see a hunting lodge from the water. However, ‘Tina’s’ mast is too high, and it isn’t worth lowering it just for this detour.
Here on Lake Jungfernsee, you have the unique opportunity to truly immerse yourself in the World Heritage Site of the palaces and parks, in a way that is only possible from the water. This is because, in the middle of the lake, there is a point from which the panoramic view captures four palaces and their associated parks precisely within their lines of sight. At the time of their construction, the nobility would take special gondola rides on the River Havel to enjoy the view. A man-made landscape comprising a series of small Arcadian settings modelled on Charlottenhof.
The term ‘Arcadia’ dates back to ancient Greece and is regarded as a synonym for an idyllic natural landscape that lends itself to a peaceful life in seclusion. Frederick William IV longed for such a place of harmony for the summer months, and under his patronage, Charlottenhof Palace – designed by the architect Karl Friedrich Schinkel and the landscape architect Peter Joseph Lenné – became the centrepiece of what is now known as Prussian Arcadia.
Visiting it requires a trip ashore. From the sailors’ station, the castle can be reached on foot in just over an hour. With the mast up or down, you can also take a boat across the Tiefen See and right through the centre of Potsdam. The jetty belonging to the Potsdam Sailing Club is practically on the doorstep.
Evening tranquillity between the castle landscape and the Königswald
Charlottenhof was originally a Baroque country house. The grounds border the park of Sanssouci Palace to the south-west. At Christmas 1825, the Crown Prince – and later King – Frederick William IV was presented with the house as a gift. Schinkel and Lenné’s involvement in the redesign of Charlottenhof is now regarded as the highlight of their careers. The result is a total work of art combining architecture and landscape. The palace was designed in the style of ancient Roman villas, whilst the park was modelled on English landscape gardens. Since 1826, the complex has formed part of Sanssouci Park.
Evening has fallen and a mooring is to be found for ‘Tina’ on the shores of Lake Jungfernsee. In the glow of the setting sun, the dinghy cruiser glides silently past the sailors’ station. Further inland, the Holy Lake can be seen, with the Marble Palace on its shore.
Past the Quapphorn headland, on which stands the Eremitage, a hermitage in Potsdam’s Neuer Garten. This small retreat also disappeared as a result of the division of Germany, but was rebuilt in 2007 using the furnishings that had been stored away.
Passing Cecilienhof, the venue of the fateful Potsdam Conference in the summer of 1945. It was built during the First World War and was the last palace constructed by the Hohenzollerns. Emperor Wilhelm II had it built as a residence for his eldest son. The last German Crown Prince and Princess resided here until 1945.
Eventually, they reach the end of the Jungfernsee, and on a small beach off the north-eastern shore of the Königswald, the crews find the perfect spot to spend the night. Apart from the chirping of the birds and the crackling of the on-board barbecue, there is nothing to be heard here.
In this oasis between Berlin and Potsdam, sailors have found their own Arcadia: peace and seclusion amidst idyllic natural surroundings. Just like the Prussian kings of old. And who knows, perhaps they too would have felt more at home in the cockpit, with a can of beer and a grilled sausage, than in the palace.
More classics in YACHT classic
Are you interested in the world of classic yachts, traditional boatbuilding and the history of sailing? If so, read more about it in our special edition, YACHT classic.
Is this one of Germany’s most underrated sailing destinations, or does this landscape thrive primarily on its history? Let us know in the comments whether you’re looking for the sailing area, the tranquillity or the historic views from the water on the Havel.
Lasse Johannsen
Deputy Editor in Chief YACHT
