Berlin Palace (Humboldt Forum)

In front of you stands the Humboldt Forum, which recreates the façades of the old Berlin Palace, home of the Hohenzollerns for almost five centuries. We begin the mystery route here because this place has a legend of its own: the White Lady.

1A palace that vanished twice

The palace grew from the 15th century onwards into a grand baroque residence, much of it the work of Andreas Schlüter. It was badly damaged in 1945, and in 1950 the East German government had it blown up. In its place rose the Palace of the Republic, home of East Germany's parliament, which in turn was demolished between 2006 and 2008. The façades you see, designed by Franco Stella, were rebuilt afterwards, and the museum opened in 2021.

2The White Lady of the Hohenzollerns

For centuries people told of a woman dressed in white who roamed the palace corridors, and whose appearance foretold the death of a member of the ruling family.

According to tradition, the White Lady was seen in 1598, a few days before the death of Elector John George.

Who was she? One version identifies her as Anna Sydow, mistress of Elector Joachim II; after his death, his son John George locked her up in the Spandau Citadel, where she died in 1575. Another version confuses her with Countess Kunigunde of Orlamünde, a legend born in Franconia. The fact that there are two such different candidates is the best proof that this is tradition, not history.

3What to look for

• The dome, with its golden cross and inscription, which sparked fierce debate when it was rebuilt.
• The east façade, modern and unadorned: the contrast is deliberate.
• The baroque portals, copies of Schlüter's originals.