Your donation for the preservation of the Pfingstberg ensemble
The Förderverein Pfingstberg e.V. is recognized as a non-profit organization as defined by German tax code (§§ 51 ff. Abgabenordnung (AO)).
The association’s statutes can be downloaded here:
You can deposit or transfer your donation to the following account of Förderverein Pfingstberg:
Förderverein Pfingstberg e.V.
IBAN: DE82 1605 0000 3503 0111 01
BIC: WELADED1PMB
Bank name: Mittelbrandenburgische Sparkasse Potsdam
Recurring renovation work on the building structures and ongoing maintenance of the garden grounds will continue to be necessary for the long-term preservation of the historical ensemble on Pfingstberg.
In the recent past, funding from donations has helped to make significant renovations possible, including: the restoration of the Temple of Pomona; restoring the wall tiles in the Maurisches Kabinett (Moorish Chamber) at the Belvedere; and addressing and repairing damage caused by moisture in the Belvedere’s entrance hall.
Your donation can also help us to preserve the Pfingstberg ensemble in all its beauty and historical importance, and to make it a memorable experience for visitors.
Donation Form
Here you can donate for the preservation of the historic Pfingstberg ensemble.
Please note that for a donation of less than 300 euros, the bank statement or a booking confirmation for the tax office is valid as proof. Only for individual donations over 300 euros we will send you a donation receipt, please let us know your name and address.
Thank you very much!
Current projects
Please help us to maintain our unique historic building on the Pfingstberg! With your donation you will assist us to restore the alcove on the east side to old glory.
The water damages of the west alcove in the entrance hall were renovated already recently very successfully. This was possible thanks to the fundraising activities of our charitable society Förderverein Pfingstberg in Potsdam e.V. Now the water damages in the alcove on the eastside of the entrance hall should be repaired in the same way.
The reason for these damages were discovered in defective insulation at the corner of the Pegasus Plateau where the stairs leading to the west arcades. A provisional insulation at this water entry point helped in the past, but did not eradicate the ongoing moisture collection in the brick wall resulting in large areas of plaster coming down lately.
It is now planned to finally eliminate the water damage problem by separating the double wall structure consisting of the brick wall in front and a natural stone wall behind. Therefore the brick wall will be removed and the surfaces of the natural stone wall to be leveled and repaired. After a long period of drying out the brick wall will be built up in front again but with a back ventilation space in between. Then it will be plastered and painted again. The permanent and intensive ventilation will happen through various openings in both walls and the active ventilation of the stair substructures.
For this renovation the Förderverein Pfingstberg in Potsdam e.V. is collecting donations. The actual planning indicates costs of about 35,000 Euro for this project.
What is unique about our Belvedere Castle?
It was the most destroyed castle in Potsdam but fully renovated after the reunification of Germany by a charitable society and reopened first in 2001. Yes it is owned by a trust called Stiftung Preußische Schlösser und Gärten Berlin-Brandenburg (SPSG) but since its renovation managed in full financial responsibility by our Förderverein Pfingstberg in Potsdam e.V. This is why we need your donations.
The project will in any case be realized under the technical supervision of the SPSG. We plan to be finished latest for the 2012 season.
About 25 years ago the dilapidated Temple of Pomona was rebuilt thanks to a generous donation from the Hermann Reetsma Foundation. Since then, visitors have been able once again to experience Karl Friedrich Schinkel’s first architectural work. Every year from Easter to October varying art exhibitions are shown there and fairytales told on the roof terrace as part of the “Culture in Nature” series. The weather, in particular, has increasingly impacted the historical building, making necessary renovation measures such as those described below.
The Temple of Pomona has the form of a Greek temple. Schinkel was inspired by the northern façade of the Erechtheion on the Acropolis in Athens. The columns decorating the front of the Temple of Pomona are – contrary to their appearance – made of wood rather than stone, the customary building material in Greece. Their white paint has meanwhile begun to peel off, making repainting necessary to prevent weather damage to the wood.
The marble floor of the Temple of Pomona shows signs of intense wear and requires special cleaning and maintenance.
The exterior façade of the Temple of Pomona also needs a new coat of paint because of moss forming on its lower walls, a problem aggravated by water spashing up onto them when it rains. The summer of 2017 was very rainy, and climate change in recent years has also been accompanied by many downpours. Flaking will also be repaired.
The costs of these repair measures are currently estimated at around 10,000 euros.
Maintenance of the gardens is mostly done by the Stiftung Preußische Schlösser und Gärten (SPSG). But outside financial support remains necessary, because external companies have to carry out particular gardening tasks, for instance, aerating the lawn areas. This work is continuous, so every euro counts.
Previous projects
Donations were also collected in 2017 by members of the Förderverein Pfingstberg, with the focus being on the Römisches Kabinett (Roman Chamber) in the Belvedere on Pfingstberg. Preservation and stabilizing measures were carried out on the interior plaster, with missing areas being replaced in the base sections and the observation tower staircase. There the historical color scheme was also reconstructed and steps undertaken to preserve and protect the original paint layer. The plasterwork was executed by the Altenkirch & Tomaschewski company and cost 4.000 euros. Painting work costing around 4.700 euros was carried out by the Sven Dreilich painting company from Potsdam. The association contributed 4.500 euros raised from donations to defray the costs of these renovations.
The awning roof at the Temple of Pomona had become increasingly porous and cracked and covered with verdigris by 2017. A new, but historically accurate roof was constructed and installed in April 2017.