Frederick "the Great" had planned a much larger Forum Fridericianum, but his distant cousin, Frederick William, Margrave of Brandenburg-Schwedt, refused to sell his palace, the predecessor of today's Old Palace, for the purpose of demolition.
fɹˈɛdɚɹˌɪk "ðə ɡɹˈeɪt" hæd plˈænd ɐ mˈʌtʃ lˈɑːɹdʒɚ fˈoːɹəm fɹaɪdɹˈɪʃənəm, bˌʌt hɪz dˈɪstənt kˈʌzən, fɹˈɛdɚɹˌɪk wˈɪljəm, mˈɑːɹɡɹeɪv ʌv bɹˈændənbˌɜːɡʃwˈɛt, ɹᵻfjˈuːzd tə sˈɛl hɪz pˈælɪs, ðə pɹˈɛdᵻsˌɛsɚɹ ʌv tədˈeɪz ˈoʊld pˈælɪs, fɚðə pˈɜːpəs ʌv dˌɛməlˈɪʃən.