Police said a witness who had noticed suspicious noises at the Orangery Palace first alerted them, followed by a security guard who reported a smashed window in the area of the New Chambers. Upon arrival, officers saw the broken windows and heard strange noises from within the palace.
Both are near the iconic Sansoucci Palace where Prussian king Frederick the Great lived and which is arguably the park's most recognised landmark. The palace wasn't involved in Wednesday's incident.
After police arrived, the intruder climbed onto the roof of the Orangery and threw down several historical items. Officers used a fire department ladder to access the roof and contact the man, who had completely undressed, police said.
Three sites damaged
The suspect then fell several metres from the roof, suffering serious injury. The man, a 23-year-old from the southern Berlin suburb of Teltow-Fläming, was then transported to hospital.
Several doors and windows were damaged in the Orangery Palace as well as in the nearby New Chambers and the Marschall-Keith House near the park, Prussian Palaces and Gardens Foundation spokesperson Frank Kallensee said. Three cast zinc vases were also thrown from the roof of a pavilion in the Orangery Palace.
"We cannot yet give any information on the amount of property damage," he said. "We can only make a determination after the police have completed their on-site investigation."
Police are trying to determine if the 23-year-old had already acted suspiciously about two hours earlier. Police had been called after a naked man was seen in a cemetery earlier in the day.
The Berliner Zeitung English Edition weekly newsletter
Ihre Meinung ist uns wichtig. Senden Sie uns Ihr Feedback zu diesem Artikel an: [email protected]
