Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Turkmenistan Gates of Hell Darvaza crater
Turkmenistan • 10 days, 9 nights
Turkmenistan & the Gates of Hell
from
Slovenia mushroom foraging
Slovenia • 6 days, 5 nights
Forest to Table in Alpine Slovenia
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Burke Building.
Burke Building
‘La Grande Assiette Brisée’ (‘The Large Broken Plate’)
Ellijay Mushrooms Farm
Denmark’s Smallest Equestrian Statue
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
View of the Full General Store from the Second Floor.
MoonPie General Store
A slice of cake is the perfect coda to a meal at Piatto Romano.
Piatto Romano
Crunchy and supremely satisfying, suppli might be the ultimate street food snack.
Supplizio
The pedigreed pistachios here are from Bronte.
Gelateria dei Gracchi
This tiny hole-in-the-wall serves one of the world’s most magnificent sandwiches.
Er Buchetto
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Our journey begins in Texas—more specifically in Big Bend National Park.
The Atlas Obscura (Audio) Guide to the National Parks
about 5 hours ago
While initially unsanctioned, Toronto’s graffiti community converted this largely ignored alleyway into an epicenter of world-class street art.
10 Unexpected Places Where Creativity Shines in Toronto
about 5 hours ago
Prehistoric creatures roam the grounds of the Dinosaur House.
Roadside Dinosaurs: An American Love Story
about 6 hours ago
There’s No Right Way to Say ‘Taco’
about 10 hours ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Germany Berlin Spandauer Zitadelle (Spandau Citadel)

Spandauer Zitadelle (Spandau Citadel)

A 12th-century fortress containing some of Berlin's oldest buildings.

Berlin, Germany

Added By
Logan
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
  IgFan / Atlas Obscura User
  IgFan / Atlas Obscura User
  IgFan / Atlas Obscura User
  IgFan / Atlas Obscura User
A view of the walls and moat from the main entrance.   Dirk Reichel
The main entrance to the citadel.   Avda / avda-foto.de
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Built on a strategic island at the confluence of the Havel and Spree rivers, various fortifications have protected the town of Spandau (now a borough of Berlin) since at least 1197. The citadel's current form, however, dates mostly from the mid-to-late-16th century, though it contains older segments such as the 13th century Juliusturm (Julius Tower), Berlin's oldest building.

The fortress was designed and built primarily by Count Rochus zu Lynar, and was completed in the year 1594, though it would go on to serve a military role for the next 360-odd years. During the Thirty Years War, it served as a base of operations for Swedish forces during King Gustav II Adolf's intervention. The citadel would first fall to enemy troops in 1806 when it was taken over by Napoleon's armies. During the French siege, much of the citadel was destroyed, but was rebuilt, and served as a prison for Prussian dissidents, as well as a treasury, most notably being used to store war reparations after the Franco-Prussian war.

The end of its military career came in 1945 when it was stationed by Nazi soldiers during the Battle of Berlin. When it had become clear that they had lost, the Germans surrendered the citadel to Soviet soldiers, who were the last military personnel to occupy it. With the division of Berlin into four occupation zones, Spandau was handed over to the British, and the citadel handed over to civilian use.

Beginning in 1950, the Spandau Citadel was the site of a building school, but in 1986, became a tourist attraction and cultural site. Now, the only cannons that one would hear from the citadel would be during a performance of The 1812 Overture during one of the many concerts that take place there. However, it may be possible to see old cannons along with other archeological finds, historical pieces, and works of art in the various museums and exhibitions that are located in the citadel.

Finally, the vaulted roofs of the various fortress buildings make a perfect winter roost for the 10,000 bats what visit the citadel every year. 

Related Tags

Ancient Architecture Fortresses

Know Before You Go

From the nearest U-Bahn station, U Zitadelle on the U7 Line, it is a five to ten minute walk to the citadel.

Community Contributors

Added By

azrealumbra

Edited By

Molly McBride Jacobson, Blindcolour, IgFan

  • Molly McBride Jacobson
  • Blindcolour
  • IgFan

Published

March 22, 2016

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • http://www.zitadelle-berlin.de/zitadelle-info/geschichte/
  • http://www.zitadelle-berlin.de/zitadelle-info/juliusturm/
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spandau_Citadel
  • http://www.pipeline.com/~cwa/Breitenfeld_Phase.htm
  • http://www.zitadelle-berlin.de/zitadelle-info/fledermause/
Spandauer Zitadelle (Spandau Citadel)
64 Am Juliusturm
Berlin, 13599
Germany
52.541162, 13.212771
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Unité d'Habitation of Berlin

Berlin, Germany

miles away

Teufelsberg

Berlin, Germany

miles away

Luisenfriedhof II

Berlin, Germany

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Berlin

Berlin

Germany

Places 140
Stories 18

Nearby Places

Unité d'Habitation of Berlin

Berlin, Germany

miles away

Teufelsberg

Berlin, Germany

miles away

Luisenfriedhof II

Berlin, Germany

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Berlin

Berlin

Germany

Places 140
Stories 18

Related Stories and Lists

The Museum Where Racist and Oppressive Statues Go to Die

nazis

By Daniela Blei

Related Places

  • The Hanging Church.

    Cairo, Egypt

    The Hanging Church

    Standing atop 2nd-century Roman ruins, this church is one of the oldest and most iconic in Old Cairo.

  • The Bahdinan Gate.

    Amedi, Iraq

    Bahdinan Gate

    This beautiful arched gate is all that remains of the fortress the ancient mountaintop town of Amadiya once was.

  • Sherborne St John, England

    The Vyne

    Alongside its 16th- and 17th-century architecture and interiors, this mansion houses an Ancient Roman ring that some believe may have inspired J.R.R. Tolkien.

  • Karla, India

    Karla Caves

    A complex of ancient Buddhist rock-cut caves with a large, well preserved prayer hall.

  • Krusevac Fortress

    Kruševac, Serbia

    Krusevac Fortress

    The medieval fortress of Prince Lazar of Serbia is now an archaeological park.

  • Outside Spalentor

    Basel, Switzerland

    Spalentor

    The most impressive of Basel's three remaining city gates.

  • The river bed of Eridanos at Monastiraki train station on November 7, 2019

    Athens, Greece

    Archaeological Site Inside Monastiraki Metro Station

    View the ancient remains of buildings and the ancient "River of Hades" before hopping on a train.

  • Nerul, India

    Reis Magos Fort

    A nearly impregnable 16th-century fort is one of Goa's oldest.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.