Potsdam - attractions

In the eastern part of Germany , some 20 km from its capital , it is comfortably located a wonderful city, once chosen as its residence by Prussian monarchs. It is a city of parks and greenery, a city where almost every structure is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a city every step along which becomes a step into the depths of history - the glorious city of Potsdam. From the very first minutes Potsdam fascinates, stuns and literally falls in love with itself: castles, parks, palaces and museums give a lot of unforgettable impressions. It would take more than one article to describe in detail all the sights of Potsdam, so we will limit ourselves to only the most outstanding.

What to see in Potsdam?

1. Asking about the sights in Potsdam, the first thing you will hear is probably "Sanssouci". It is the complex of Sanssouci, which includes palaces with adjoining parks, is a symbol of Potsdam, his business card. The palace of Sanssouci was once the summer residence of the Prussian monarch Frederick the Great and managed to reach our days almost in its original form. In the same way as during Friedrich's lifetime, the palace of Sanssouci in Potsdam is surrounded by a chic park in which ancient lindens, oaks and chestnuts are preserved. To the palace is an amazing staircase of 136 steps, framed by six grape terraces. The facade of the palace of Sanssouci is decorated with 36 sculptures created by the great master Glum. The inner chambers of the castle of Sanssouci are stunning with their luxurious decoration, a huge number of paintings and tapestries. Everyone who visits the palace of Sanssouci will certainly want to return here again and again. In addition to the palace of the same name, the Sanssouci complex also includes the New Palace, the Charlottenkhov Palace, the Greenhouse Palace and much more.
2. The Chinese house in Potsdam is another small but very interesting part of the Sanssouci complex. Hidden in a huge park is a small house, the whole appearance speaks of love for everything eastern. With its outlines, the tea house resembles a leaf of a clover. The roof of the house is made in the form of a tent and decorated with a figure of Chinese mandarin. Looking inside the house, you can see the richest collection of Oriental porcelain.
3. The Brandenburg Gate in Potsdam. The history of the Brandenburg Gate of Potsdam begins in the distant 1770, when the Prussian army won a victory in the Seven Years' War. It was in honor of this victory that Friedrich the Great ordered the construction of the gates, entrusting their design to two architects: Georg Khristian Unger and Karl von Gontard. The result of teamwork was a magnificent structure, which has two completely different facades.
4. Of the many palaces of Potsdam, the palace of Cecilienhof can rightly be called the youngest. It was built just some hundred years ago in the style of an English country house. It was Cecilienhof who elected as their residence the last representatives of the Hohenzollern dynasty, who lived here until 1945. But the palace is not famous for it. He gained world fame thanks to the Potsdam conference held in its walls, during which Stalin, Truman and Churchill decided the destiny of the whole European continent. Today, in the walls of the palace of Cecilienhof, one of the most fashionable hotels of Potsdam is located, guests of which have the opportunity to visit an exhibition dedicated to the historic events of 1945.
5. The Dutch quarter in Potsdam was founded in 1733 by the decree of King Frederick William I, who planned to attract artisans from Holland to the city. The idea was a success and in the period from 1733 to 1740 in the area bounded by the church of Peter and Paul and the Nauen Gates were built more than a hundred houses. Construction was led by one of the Dutch masters Jan Bauman.