Marzipan Museum at the Brandenburg Gate in Kaliningrad

Marzipan Museum. The museum is located right at the Brandenburg Gate, so it is very easy to find it.
The museum is located right at the Brandenburg Gate, so it is very easy to find it.

Marzipan Museum. Perhaps the youngest museum in Kaliningrad – in 2017 it opened in the historic building of the Brandenburg Gate. The entrance to it is completely free.

If you have not tried marzipan, then you simply do not have the right to be called a sweet tooth. Marzipan is prepared according to an old recipe from almond mass. Incredibly tasty and unusual – no chocolate beats.

The marzipan museum at the Brandenburg Gate in Kaliningrad is entirely dedicated to this dessert. There are rolling pins for rolling out the almond mass, a variety of baking tins, books, documents, pre-war promotional items.

The marzipans themselves are displayed in the windows. These aren’t just nuts or boring bars. In the museum, you will see real works of pastry art: bizarre figurines and even models of buildings made entirely of marzipan.

There are also things here that are not related to the marzipan theme, but are directly related to the history of the present Kaliningrad region. On the shelves are fragments of dishes from restaurants and cafes of Konigsberg, perfume bottles, all kinds of jars and other household items. All this was once dug up on the territory of Kaliningrad. Among such finds is a hole punch from 1856 or, for example, a horseshoe from the boot of a German soldier.

Marzipan Cathedral
Marzipan Cathedral

History of the Marzipan Museum

The marzipan museum is located at the Brandenburg Gate. Of the seven gates of Konigsberg, they are the only ones that function for their intended purpose: the carriageway passes through them and transport goes.

Initially, the Brandenburg Gate was made of wood – this one was built in 1657. A hundred years later, a brick structure was erected in their place, strong and solid. And in 1843 the gates were restored here, and now they are decorated with coats of arms, wooden pediments, decorative flowers and leaves.

In the building, which is now occupied by the marzipan museum, a beer house worked during the Soviet years. At that time, it was considered a cult place, there were always many visitors. The pub worked until the 90s. Then they opened a picture frame shop.

Due to the fact that the Brandenburg Gate is an architectural monument, its facade and space inside have not changed.

Marzipan chess
Marzipan chess

Interesting Facts

Once upon a time, Koenigsberg marzipans were famous all over the world. The best dessert was served to the table of eminent people. They also brought them to tsarist Russia. It was easy to distinguish it by taste, for example, from Berlin marzipan: more bitter almonds were used in Königsberg, and after roasting it turned out to be darker. There was also rose water in the recipe, which added a special flavor.

The first marzipan factory appeared in Königsberg in 1809. The Pomatti brothers, who discovered it, were even given the title of “confectioners of the royal court”.

sights

Marzipans of various forms. Of the curious – chess (you can literally eat a horse or an elephant), a clock that shows the correct time twice a day and a sweet copy of the famous Konigsberg sculpture “Fighting Bison”. Ready-made marzipan sweets and cakes are greased with whipped protein, garnished with candied cherries or other fruits if desired.

Confectionery molds of the late 19th – early 20th centuries from tin, wood and other materials for the manufacture of marzipan. Königsberg marzipan was usually shaped like a heart. But in the museum there are molds in the form of dogs, fruits and vegetables, little men, flowers and even bones and pig’s legs.

  • Antique boxes for marzipan.
  • The packages have been amazingly preserved, survived the wars and have survived to this day.
  • Royal Castle and House of Soviets made of marzipan mass. Unique edible copies of city attractions.
  • Cheburashka and Winnie the Pooh. Favorite cartoon characters, of course, are made from marzipan. The showcases in which they are exhibited traditionally arouse the interest of children.
Museum expositions
Heroes of the Russian cartoon Crocodile Gena from marzipan
Heroes of the Russian cartoon Crocodile Gena from marzipan
Heroes of the Russian cartoon Well, wait a minute from marzipan
Heroes of the Russian cartoon Well, wait a minute from marzipan
Marzipan cartoons.
Marzipan cartoons.
marzipan fortress
marzipan fortress
Modern packaging of marzipan
Modern packaging of marzipan
Old packaging of various German companies that produced marzipans.
Old packaging of various German companies that produced marzipans.

Original packaging of kenitsberg marzipan
Original packaging of kenitsberg marzipan
Pushkin's poem from marzipan
Pushkin’s poem from marzipan
The famous Marzipan wrestling bison of August Gaul
The famous Marzipan wrestling bison of August Gaul
Marzipan Museum. The museum is located right at the Brandenburg Gate, so it is very easy to find it.
The museum is located right at the Brandenburg Gate, so it is very easy to find it.
The museum occupies one hall.
The museum occupies one hall.