King Frederick II the Great (1712-1786) of Prussia built in 1744 a vineyard in Potsdam, which is located 10 km southwest of Berlin. Soon after the Sanssouci Palace was built, in rococo-style, on the upper terrace of the vineyard as his summer residence.
The park was expanded to the east with the Obelisk Portal and to the west with the New Palace, both connected by a main avenue. Other buildings were constructed like the New Chambers, the Picture Gallery, the Chinese House and the Neptune Grotto.