The grandest of the state rooms is the Marble Hall, towering two stories and taking up 600-square feet. The 90-ton hall sits directly above the Grotto Hall. In traditional Baroque style, the Marble Hall is a magnificent statement of royal might.
View of the Marble Hall and glass walkway
The pilasters (rectangular columns) create a transition to the vaulted ceiling, which is highly ornamented with golden colored gilded stucco. The cornice is adorned with cupids playing a variety of instruments.
Ceiling of the Marble Hall in the New Palace
The floor of the Marble Hall, like the floor of the Grotto Hall, was laid in precious materials. Rocailles (intricate shell motifs) line the geometric shapes on the floor. Common in Fredrick the Great’s palaces, naturalistic motifs, such as flowers and leaves, are sparingly integrated into the ornamentation throughout the room.
Close up of flower motif
Renovation of the Marble Hall began in 2013 because it was at risk of collapsing into the Grotto Hall due to construction errors and the use of wet beams. The renovation cost around 4.9 million euros and reopened on April 13, 2016. Visitors can only walk across the incredible Silesian marble floor from a glass walkway.