Temple of Friendship, Potsdam

The Temple of Friendship (Freundschaftstempel) is a small, round classical building located in Sanssouci Park, Potsdam. Commissioned by King Frederick II of Prussia in memory of his sister, Princess Wilhelmine of Prussia, who passed away in 1758, the temple was designed by architect Carl von Gontard and completed between 1768 and 1770. It stands south of the park's main boulevard, complementing the Temple of Antiquities, which lies directly north of the boulevard on the same axis.

The architectural design of the Temple of Friendship was inspired by the ancient Greek monopteros, characterized by its open, round structure with a shallow domed roof supported by eight Corinthian columns. This style was previously employed by Frederick in the Temple of Apollo at Neuruppin, built in 1735. The columns of the Temple of Friendship feature medallions depicting pairs of friends from classical antiquity, such as Pylades and Orestes, Euryalus and Nisos, Heracles and Philoctetes, and Pirithous and Theseus, reflecting Wilhelmine's and Frederick's fascination with the classical era.

Inside the temple, a life-sized marble statue of Princess Wilhelmine, crafted by the sculptor brothers Johann David and Johann Lorenz Wilhelm Räntz, stands in a shallow alcove at the back wall. The statue depicts her holding a book, a detail based on a portrait by the court painter Antoine Pesne. This artistic homage, along with the temple's classical references, underscores Wilhelmine's intellectual pursuits and the close bond she shared with her brother.