Jagdschloss Stern

Potsdam, Germany, Germany

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Jagdschloss Stern is a historic hunting lodge in Potsdam that was built between 1730 and 1732 for King Frederick William I of Prussia, often known as the “Soldier King.”

Constructed in the style of a simple Dutch townhouse, it was created as a base for royal hunting expeditions in the nearby Parforceheide, a large hunting area laid out with a distinctive star-shaped network of paths. The lodge is especially significant because it is the only palace built by Frederick William I and, following the destruction of Potsdam’s City Palace, it is now the oldest surviving palace building in the city.

Its interiors retain many original features, including a wood-paneled hunting hall, paintings depicting royal hunting scenes, and the king’s unusual built-in bed alcove inspired by Dutch and Frisian houses. Today, Jagdschloss Stern is a preserved heritage site managed by the Prussian Palaces and Gardens Foundation. Visitors can explore the lodge, learn about Prussian hunting traditions, and enjoy one of Potsdam’s most authentic examples of early 18th-century royal architecture.