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Köpenick Castle Island is located directly between the Dahme and Spree rivers and is connected to the historic old town of Köpenick by a bridge. In the Middle Ages, a Slavic castle complex stood on the site of today’s baroque castle. The palace itself was built between 1677 and 1690 on behalf of Elector Frederick III (later King Frederick I of Prussia) and served as a hunting lodge and residence. Today, it is considered the only completely preserved Baroque palace in Berlin. Inside is the Museum of Decorative Arts of the Berlin State Museums, with furniture, porcelain, handicrafts, and impressive room displays from the 16th to 18th centuries.
The island is surrounded by an idyllic palace park. Originally laid out in the Baroque style, it was later redesigned in a landscape style. Thanks to its location right on the water, the park is particularly popular for walks and wedding photos. The combination of water, park, palace, and old town gives the place a special atmosphere. Directly adjacent is the historic old town of Köpenick with the Köpenick Town Hall – famous for the story of the “Captain of Köpenick” – cozy cafés and restaurants on the waterfront, and boat docks for excursions on the Dahme and Spree rivers.
The castle island is easily accessible from the center of Berlin: the journey takes around 30 to 35 minutes by S-Bahn (S3) to Köpenick, or around 35 to 45 minutes by car, depending on traffic. Once there, you almost feel like you are in your own little town: lots of water, lots of greenery, and much quieter than in the center.