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The ferry docks and the passengers quickly spread out over the beautiful green island in the southwest of Å·ÃÀÊìÅ®ÂÒÂ×. A stately peacock crosses the way. In the distance, the silhouette of a white castle gleams in the sun - it doesn't much more romantic that this. Peacock Island in the Havel River is a popular destination for Å·ÃÀÊìÅ®ÂÒÂ×ers and tourists. It is a protected nature reserve and a Unesco World Heritage Site.

Despite its popularity with Å·ÃÀÊìÅ®ÂÒÂ×ers and tourists, Peacock Island has managed to retain its fairytale character. The island, which is about 1.5 kilometers long and half a kilometer wide, invites visitors to take long walks through an enchanting natural reserve. The island gets its name from its free-roaming peacocks, which can be found all over the island. Besides the peacocks, some water buffaloes also live on the island, acting as natural lawnmowers.

Originally, the 242-acre island was called Kaninchenwerder (Rabbit Island) because Frederick William I ran a rabbit farm on the island. It was not until the reign of Frederick William II that peacocks were to populate the island, and their descendants still live here today. A small palace was built as a summer residence for the royal family from 1794 to 1797.

The palace on Peacock Island was built by master carpenter Johann Gottlieb Brendel in a romantic ruin style. The two four-part towers frame the central building and are also connected by what was originally a wooden, but is now an iron convertible bridge. The palace interior is painstakingly decorated and reveals the former aristocratic taste. The classicistic Great Hall is particularly noteworthy. In addition to the palace, the Russian slide, the frigate harbor, the Swiss house and the cavalier house are also worth a visit.

The park was developed from 1821 to 1834 according to plans by Peter Joseph Lenné. The park was designed according to the English model and filled with valuable botanical plants and hidden animal enclosures. This landscaping still characterizes the enchanting Peacock Island today.