The New Palace in Sans-souci park was built 1763–1769 for the Prussian king Frederick II the Great. Besides apartments for guests and banqueting halls, the king had a theatre installed in the south wing. The facade does not indicate the existence of a theatre. Only the statues on the eaves with their masques and musical instruments could be a hint. The auditorium inside has the form of an amphitheatre and is decorated in Frederick’s variant of the Rococo style. Gilded palm trees, rocailles and hermes define the room together with the red velvet on the benches. The theatre seats 226 spectators and offers operas, plays, and ballet performances all year round. From July 2013, it will be closed for a couple of years due to restoration works.