Helena weekly herald., 1889-11-21
THE ROYAL CASTLE.
Home of the Emperors at Berlin
Notes on its Present Appear
ance-A Short Tour of the
Old Building.

Mr T. Il. Klienschmidt has received an
other letter from Berlin from his daughter
Miss Marie, who continues her interesting
descriptions Of places of interest in that old
world capital. The following extract from
her last letter we give space with pleasure;
This morning was our morning out, SO
we decided to 90 to the very old castle l
spoke about in one of my other letters. We
gained admittance and bought our tic6ets.
We then traversed the court and entered q
small room where we had to remain till
the guide came to show us around. The
guide comes but once every half hour.
Finally q man came. The man called out
leave your umbrellas" The guide then
took us up steep incline made Of brick
which served the purpose of steps. This
castle is where the present Emperor lives
when he Is here and where that great din
ner party was held when the Gear OF
Russia was here.
In the room we waited in the ceiling had
carved figures on it; one was Athene kill
ing some person. don't know who it is.
Arriving at the castle we were ushered in
to room containing large box. This ex-
cited my curiosity, which was soon satis-
fed. The guide opened it and began
throwing slippers on the floor. We were
expected to wear those in going through
the place for the floor is too slippery to be
walked on by those not accustomed to 1t.
The slippers are made of very thick felt
and are enormous; We laughed over them
till our sides fairly ached; We looked 80
comical with those enormous slippers on.
The first room we entered was sort OF
sitting room and contained many portraits.
The names of some OF the persons are
Frederick the Great, and Catherine Ill,
Czarina of Russia. The Koenigzimmer
which we next enter derives Its name
from the portraits it contains of all the
Prussian monarchs down to Frederick
William Nv. The next room entered is
called Frederick III Oratory, and it is
beautiful. The entire ceiling is beauti-
fully carved and drapsd with
green brocaded satin. The Crown cabinet
used to contain all the Crown jewels, and
now contains great many presents given
to the Emperor. The ceiling is made OF
mirrors and carved figures. The effect lis
beautiful. There is looking glass IN the
wall IN which a person can see way up
Inter den Linden without leaving the
room. | saw the chandelier under which
Luther stood at the Diet OF Worms l Saw
the throne and throne chairs. We next
went into the bridal chamber in which
Frederick the Great was baptized and the
Emperor was married. In the bridal cham
ber is balcony which at one time Was
solid gold, and which Emperor William had
melted to pay part of the expenses OF
the war. The present counterpart is Oi
wood and gilt. We next entered the
dining room, which contained the portraits
of Peter l, Napoleon /, William l, Henrietta
of Wanack, first Queen of England, Siege
of Koeniggratz, headed by Emperor VIII
liam, the reception of Emperor William
of King William as Emperor. Charles L. OF
England and Queen Augusta We next
enter the White Room, which is u,ed for
receptions, concerts and other extra occa-
sions. l saw the canopy under which the
Emperor and Empress sit. 1t was draDed
with yellow plush and looked very rlch.
Here we threw off our shoes and ascended
a flight of steps and entered the chapel,
which contains balcony seating one hun
dred persons. Four hundred can be seated
down stairs. The columns and the candle
sticks on either side Of the altar are made
of stone from Pompeii. Behind the altar
is cross set with precious stones The
distance from the top of the chapel to the
floor is 1T feet. From here we descended
a winding staircase to the room from where
we startated. Many repairs are being
made on the castle and it will be much i'm
proved after all is flushed. The floors OF
sll the rooms are hard wood and as smooth
as glass, and all the rooms except the white
room are in gold. The furniture, carvings
and all are too numerous, as it were, to
look we'll. From the castle we we went to
the National Ar Gallery, and the paint
ings there are grand, especially that OF
Christ Healing Sick Child, by Gabriel
Max; The Healing of the daughter OF
Jarius and many others.