Press release -
Your dream of “sans, souci.” – Your city break in Potsdam.
The Potsdam Feeling
Potsdam is a place to pause and to slow down for a moment. Whether walking in the city or promenading in the gardens, you feel culture everywhere telling yesterday´s stories and at the same time you find spots that look like the future. Relax in the middle of the warm brick red in the Dutch Quarter or feel the magic of water at the banks of the blue River Havel. That’s the way you feel like being in Potsdam – that’s the way to enjoy it.
Delve into the UNESCO world heritage
The palaces and gardens in Potsdam are the prototype of the perfect interaction of art and nature and were chosen as a part of the UNESCO world heritage in 1990. The heritage sites include Sanssouci Park, the New Garden, Palace and Babelsberg Park as well as the Island Pfaueninsel in Berlin. Surrounded by impressive palaces and gardens the city with its baroque facades, with its hidden backyards and cozy squares invites you to stroll and to discover.
Potsdam´s cultural diversity is especially reflected in its architecture. The monarchs played out their longings for faraway places and formed a residence unifying the world in one place.
Turbulent times - 75th anniversary of the Potsdam Conference
The residence and garrison town of the Prussian kings made history for centuries. Potsdam often witnessed changing historical events, like the summit conference of three victorious powers of World War II 75 years ago.
The Potsdam Conference, taking place at Cecilienhof country house, symbolizes the end of World War II and the initiation of the Cold War leading to the division of Germany by the Iron Curtain. A touching exhibition at Cecilienhof Country House, open until the end of this year, is dedicated to the 75thanniversary of the conference.
30th anniversary of German Reunification
Even the Potsdam world heritage sites were divided by the “antifascist protecting wall”, the Berlin Wall. The demarcation line cut Glienicke Bridge, the link between Potsdam and Berlin, right in the middle. After the Wall came down on November 9thin 1989 the bridge was opened on the next day and thousands of people went from the East to the West. They celebrated the end of the Cold War in 1989 and the German Reunification nearly one year later. October 3rd 1990 was a remarkable day for Potsdam itself. The federal state Brandenburg was founded and Potsdam became its capital.
Experience the culture
The cultural and creative community meets in different areas in Potsdam. One spot is Schiffbauergasse, where steam boats were built and coffee substitute produced in former times. Listed facades as the Waschhaus (washhouse), the Maschinenhalle (machine hall) and the Husaren-Pferdeställe (horse stables for the Guard Hussars) were restored and became residences for arts and artists. Also Potsdam´s New Centre around the Old Market developed into a remarkable ensemble of museums and architecture including the Filmmuseum, Museum of Potsdam´s History and Museum Barberini.
Watch the films and visit the filming locations
There is much to be explored in Potsdam, not only on screen but also behind the scenes. Cameras do not stand still. Potsdam maintains long traditions of movie production praised nationally and internationally. In 1911, the “Deutsche Bioskop”, founded in 1899, laid the foundation of Studio Babelsberg by starting the first large scale glasshouse film studio worldwide, for the movie set to “The Dance of Death” starring Asta Nielsen. Since that time the town is in the focus of movie makers. The film studio always influenced the international developments of cinema and motion picture technologies such as the unchained camera technique, science fiction, the countdown and the first German sound and colour films. “Metropolis”, “The Blue Angel“,”Inglourious Basterds“, “The Grand Budapest Hotel“ or “Bridge of Spies” are on the long list of films shot in Babelsberg. In 2019 Potsdam was the first German city listed as “UNESCO-Creative City of Film”.
Feel the water
Potsdam is more than a city. It is a scenery, an “Eyland”, an isle. Floating by a water taxi through the idyll of the Havel, enjoying a cooling swim in the Lake Heiliger See or rowing by one’s own efforts, the vistas on the lakes, on the river and on the banks, open fascinating, new perspectives formed naturally and by strategically designed visual axes. Only those who discover Potsdam on water can really appreciate the best views.
Wintery Potsdam
When the ice floes sizzle on Havel River, the festively illuminated streets shine in the dark and the life slows down, it is winter in Potsdam. The River Havel and its lakes have a mystic charm and invite you to take in the moment. Traditional and themed markets at fascinating historic spots, such as the Russian Colony Alexandrovka or the Belvedere on Pfingtsberg sweeten the Advent in Potsdam. They transform the city into a cozy Christmas scenery inviting you to stroll, enjoy and slow down.
