Opposite to the palace’s westward-opening court of honour are the Communs, designed by Carl von Gontard and Jean Laurent Le Geay. Styled in the same manner as the palace itself, the two buildings housed the royal kitchens, utilities, gardeners’ shops, palace guards and servants. Between the two buildings stretches a curved colonnade, decorated with statuary and obelisks, which acted as a state entrance and as a screen to shield the view of the marshlands beyond. In 1896, Wilhelm II had an underground tunnel constructed to allow passage between the palace and the Communs, avoiding possibly inclement weather. The curved staircases, domes, pilasters and columns do not show the practical purpose of the buildings. Today, the buildings are used by the University of Potsdam and are undergoing restoration although a lack of funding has pushed the date of completion to 2016. The twenty-nine acre parcel has been closed off to the public and is no longer viewable by tourists.