52°23N 13°04E, pop (2000e) 145 000. Capital of Potsdam county, E Germany; on R Havel, W of Berlin; former residence of German emperors and Prussian kings; badly bombed in World War 2; scene of the 1945 Potsdam Conference; railway; Academy of Political Science and Law; colleges of cinematographic and television art; Central Meteorological Centre; food processing, pharmaceuticals, electrical equipment, textiles, film industry; Sans Souci palace and park (17457), 18th-c garrison church.
Coordinates: 52°24′N 13°4′E
| Potsdam | |
|---|---|
| Country | Germany |
| State | Brandenburg |
| District | urban district |
| Population | 146,635 source (2005) |
| Area | 187.28 km² |
| Population density | 783 /km² |
| Elevation | 35 m |
| Coordinates | 52°24′ N 13°4′ E |
| Postal code | 14401-14482 |
| Area code | 0331 |
| Licence plate code | P |
| Mayor | Jann Jakobs SPD |
| Website | potsdam.de |
Potsdam [ˈpɔtsdam]" is the capital city of the federal state of Brandenburg in Germany.
The city features a series of interconnected lakes and is well known for its unique cultural landscapes, in particular the parks and castles of Sanssouci, a World Heritage Site.
Potsdam-Babelsberg also serves as one of the leading centers of European film production.
History
Potsdam was probably founded in the 10th century as a Slavic village called "Poztupimi", centred on a castle.
Potsdam's fortunes changed dramatically when it was chosen for the hunting residence of Frederick William I, elector of Brandenburg, in 1660.
While Berlin was the official capital of Prussia and later of the German Empire, the court remained in nearby Potsdam, and many government officials also settled in Potsdam.
At the beginning of the Third Reich a ceremonial handshake between President Paul von Hindenburg and the new Chancellor Adolf Hitler took place on 21 March 1933 in Potsdam's Garnisonskirche (Garrison Church), symbolising a coalition of the military (Reichswehr) and Nazism.
Potsdam was severely damaged in bombing raids during World War II.
Recent history
The government of the GDR endeavoured to erase the symbols of Prussian militarism.
Potsdam, being to the south-west of Berlin, bordered on West Berlin after the construction of the Berlin Wall.
After German reunification Potsdam became the capital of the newly re-established state of Brandenburg.
Politics
Potsdam has had a mayor (Bürgermeister) and city council since the fifteenth century.
Today the city council is the central administrative organ of the city.
Sister cities
Opole, Silesia, Poland, since 1973 Minsk, Belarus Bobigny, France, since 1974 Jyväskylä, Finland, since 1985 Bonn, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, since 1988 Perugia (Italy), since 1990 Sioux Falls, South Dakota, USA, since 1990 Lucerne, Switzerland, since 2002Education and research
Potsdam is a university town.
In addition there is a College of Film and Television (Hochschule für Film und Fernsehen "Konrad Wolf" HFF), founded in 1954 in Babelsberg, the foremost centre of the German film industry since its birth.
Along with universities, Potsdam is home to great grammar schools.
Sights in Potsdam
Potsdam has been a center of european immigration.
The Alter Markt is dominated by the dome of the Nikolaikirche (St. Nicolas Church), built in 1837 in classicist style.
The eastern side of the Market Square is dominated by the Altes Rathaus (old city hall), built in 1755 by the Dutchman architect Jan Bouman (1706-1776).
North of the Alter Markt is the oval Französische Kirche (French Church), erected in the 1750s by Boumann for the Huguenot community, and the Brandenburg Gate (built in 1770, not to be confused with the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin).
Another landmark of Potsdam is the two-street Holländisches Viertel (Dutch quarter), an ensemble of buildings is unique in Europe, with about 150 houses built of red bricks in Dutch style.
North of the city center is the Russian Colony Alexandrowka, a small enclave of Russian architecture (including an Orthodox chapel) built in 1825 for a group of Russian immigrants.
East of the Alexandrowka colony is a large park, the Neuer Garten (New Garden), which was laid out from 1786 in English style.
Another interesting area of Potsdam is Babelsberg, a quarter east of the centre, housing the UFA film studios (Babelsberg Studios), and an extensive park with some interesting buildings, including the Schloß Babelsberg (a neo-Gothic palace by Schinkel) and the Einstein Tower, built in 1920-24 by architect Erich Mendelsohn.
However, the attraction which draws most visitors to Potsdam is Park Sanssouci, 2km west of the city center. Some of them are:
| Parks in Potsdams | |||
|
The Belvedere near Park Sanssouci |
The Park Babelsberg |
The Biosphäre opened in 2001 |
The Lustgarten is the oldest garden |
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