Potsdam facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Potsdam
City
From top and left to right: Potsdam City Palace with St Nicholas' Church, old city hall, Brandenburg Gate, New Palace, Palace of Sanssouci, Potsdam skyline
Flag Coat of arms
Potsdam Location in Germany Show map of Germany Potsdam Location in Brandenburg Show map of Brandenburg
Country	Germany
State	Brandenburg
District	Urban district
Founded	1776
Area
• Total	187.28 km2 (72.31 sq mi)
Elevation	32 m (105 ft)
Population  (2022-12-31)
• Total	185,750
• Density	991.83/km2 (2,568.83/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)
Postal codes	14467–14482
Dialling codes	0331
Vehicle registration	P
Website	www.potsdam.de

Potsdam is a beautiful city in Germany. It is the capital and largest city of the German state of Brandenburg. Potsdam is part of the big Berlin/Brandenburg Metropolitan Region, which means it's close to the famous city of Berlin.

The city is built along the River Havel, which flows into the Elbe River. Potsdam is surrounded by a hilly landscape with many lakes. About 20 lakes are right inside the city! It's located about 25 kilometers (15 miles) southwest of Berlin's city center. Many names in Potsdam come from old Slavic languages.

Potsdam was once the home of the Prussian kings and the German Emperor until 1918. The city was designed with ideas from the Age of Enlightenment. This was a time when people focused on reason and nature. Potsdam was meant to be a "picturesque, pastoral dream" to help people feel connected to nature and think clearly.

This city is over 1,000 years old and is famous for its amazing palaces, lovely lakes, and rich history. Some of its most well-known places are the parks and palaces of Sanssouci. This is Germany's largest World Heritage Site. Other famous palaces include the Orangery Palace, the New Palace, Cecilienhof Palace, and Charlottenhof Palace.

Potsdam was also a very important place in 1945. The Potsdam Conference happened here, where leaders from the USSR, the US, and the UK met. They decided how to divide Germany after World War II. This meeting shaped Germany's history for the next 45 years.

Babelsberg, a part of Potsdam, has been home to a major film studio since the 1930s. It's still a big center for making movies in Europe today. The Filmstudio Babelsberg, started in 1912, is the oldest large film studio in the world!

Potsdam also became a hub for science in the 1800s. Today, it has three public colleges, the University of Potsdam, and over 30 research institutes.

Exploring Potsdam's Landscape

The Templiner See south of Potsdam

The land around Potsdam was shaped by huge moraines left behind after the last glacial period (Ice Age). Today, only a quarter of the city is built up. The rest is beautiful green space.

Potsdam has about 20 lakes and rivers. These include the Havel River, Griebnitzsee, Templiner See, Tiefer See, Jungfernsee, and Heiliger See. The highest point in the city is the Kleiner Ravensberg, which is 114 meters (374 feet) high.

City Areas and Neighborhoods

Potsdam is divided into different parts. There are seven old city Stadtteile (quarters) and nine newer Ortsteile (suburbs or wards). These newer areas used to be separate villages but joined the city in 2003.

The city's neighborhoods look quite different. The northern and central parts have many historic buildings. The southern part has more modern buildings. Potsdam is divided into 32 Stadtteile (boroughs), which are then split into 84 smaller statistical districts.

The older parts of the city include the city center, western and northern suburbs, Bornim, Bornstedt, and Babelsberg. The newer Ortsteile are mostly in the north.

Potsdam's Weather

Potsdam has an oceanic climate, but it's also a bit influenced by being further from the coast. Winters are cold with frequent snow. Summers are mild, with temperatures usually between 23 and 25 degrees Celsius (73-77°F).

The average high temperature in winter is 3.5°C (38.3°F), and the low is -1.7°C (28.9°F). In summer, the average high is 23.6°C (74.5°F), and the low is 12.7°C (54.9°F).

What's in a Name? Potsdam's Origin

The name "Potsdam" might have come from an old Slavic word. This word probably meant "beneath the oaks." So, Potsdam could mean "a place under the oak trees."

A Journey Through Potsdam's Past

Early Days and Growth

An old document from 993 that mentions Poztupimi

People have lived in the Potsdam area since the Bronze Age. Around the 7th century, a Slavic tribe called the Hevelli likely founded a settlement here. It was first mentioned in a document in 993 as Poztupimi. This was when Emperor Otto III gave the land to the Quedlinburg Abbey.

By 1317, Potsdam was a small town. It officially became a town in 1345. In 1573, it was still a small market town with about 2,000 people.

Royal Residence and New Beginnings

Potsdam lost almost half its people during the Thirty Years' War (1618–1648). But things changed when Frederick William I, the Elector of Brandenburg, chose Potsdam as his hunting home in 1660. Brandenburg later became the powerful Kingdom of Prussia. Potsdam also became home to Prussian army barracks.

The famous writer Voltaire visiting Frederick II in Potsdam.

After the Edict of Potsdam in 1685, Potsdam became a place where many people from other parts of Europe moved. This law offered religious freedom. So, people from France (called Huguenots), Russia, the Netherlands, and Bohemia came to live here. This helped the city grow and its economy get better.

Later, Potsdam became the main home for the Prussian royal family. Many royal buildings were built during the time of Frederick the Great. One of these is the famous Sanssouci Palace (meaning "without worries" in French), built in 1744. It's known for its beautiful gardens and fancy interiors. Other royal homes include the New Palace and the Orangery.

Potsdam in the 20th Century

Leaders Winston Churchill, Harry S. Truman, and Joseph Stalin at the Potsdam Conference in 1945.

Berlin was the capital of Prussia and later the German Empire. But the royal court stayed in Potsdam. In 1914, Emperor Wilhelm II signed the declaration of war for World War I in the Neues Palais (New Palace). After the war ended in 1918, Germany became a republic, and Potsdam lost its special status as a "second capital."

When the Nazis came to power in 1933, there was a famous handshake between Paul von Hindenburg, the President, and the new Chancellor, Adolf Hitler. This happened in Potsdam's Garrison Church. It showed a link between the military and the Nazi party. Potsdam was badly damaged by Allied bombing during World War II.

The Cecilienhof Palace was the site of the important Potsdam Conference from July to August 1945. Here, the winning Allied leaders, Harry S. Truman, Winston Churchill, and Joseph Stalin, met. They decided what would happen to Germany and Europe after the war.

The Glienicke Bridge, famous for exchanging spies during the Cold War.

After the war, when Germany was divided, Potsdam was in East Germany. The government of East Germany tried to remove symbols of "Prussian militarism." Many historic buildings, even those damaged in the war, were torn down.

Potsdam became the capital of the new state of Brandenburg in 1946. Later, in 1952, East Germany changed its states into smaller districts. Potsdam became the capital of the new Bezirk Potsdam until 1990.

Potsdam was located just outside West Berlin after the Berlin Wall was built. This wall separated Potsdam from West Berlin. The Glienicke Bridge connected Potsdam to West Berlin and was used for exchanging spies during the Cold War.

After Germany became one country again (called German reunification), Potsdam became the capital of the re-established state of Brandenburg. Since then, many efforts have been made to rebuild the city's historic look. This includes the Potsdam City Palace and the Garrison Church.

Potsdam's People

Since 2000, Potsdam has been one of the fastest-growing cities in Germany.

People from Around the World

People at the Fanfarenzug

Potsdam is home to many people from other countries. Here are the largest groups of foreign residents:

Rank	Nationality	Population (31.12.2019)
1	Ukraine	2,947
2	Syria	2,415
3	Russia	1,305
4	Poland	1,186
5	Vietnam	1,063
6	France	973
7	Croatia	885
8	Romania	795
9	India	743
10	Italy	647

City Government

Potsdamer Stadthaus, the city hall

Potsdam has a city hall called the Potsdamer Stadthaus. The city is led by a mayor.

Sister Cities Around the World

Potsdam has "sister city" relationships with many cities around the world. These partnerships help promote cultural exchange and friendship.

Getting Around Potsdam

Trains and Trams

The Kaiserbahnof building

Potsdam is connected to Berlin's public transport system. You can use the S7 S-Bahn train line. Key stations include Griebnitzsee, Babelsberg, and the main station, Central Station. Other train stations in Potsdam are Charlottenhof and Park Sanssouci. The city also has a 27-kilometer (17-mile) long tramway network.

Roads and Highways

Potsdam is served by several major highways, like the A 10 (a beltway around Berlin) and the A 115. The B 1 and B 2 federal roads also cross the city. Potsdam has a good network of city and suburban buses too.

Flying to Potsdam

Potsdam is connected to national and international flights through Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER). This airport is about 40 kilometers (25 miles) east of the city.

Learning and Discovery in Potsdam

The University of Potsdam

Potsdam is a true university town. The University of Potsdam was started in 1991. It has about 20,000 students. Before that, it was a college for law and government.

The Einstein Tower was built in 1921 for research on the theory of relativity.

Another important school is the Fachhochschule Potsdam, founded in 1991. It had over 3,500 students in 2017. The Konrad Wolf Film University of Babelsberg (HFF), started in 1954, is a top place for film studies in Germany. It has over 600 students.

Potsdam also has many research centers. These include institutes for applied polymer research, biomedical engineering, and the Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics. The Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research studies climate change.

Besides universities, Potsdam has excellent secondary schools. The Montessori Gesamtschule Potsdam, for example, has 400 students from the Brandenburg and Berlin area.

Potsdam's Rich Culture

The historical center of Potsdam

Potsdam has always been a place where people from different countries came to live. Its religious tolerance attracted people from France, Russia, the Netherlands, and Bohemia. You can still see this mix of cultures in the city's buildings and traditions.

The most popular place to visit in Potsdam is Sanssouci Park. It's about 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) west of the city center. In 1744, King Frederick the Great ordered a palace to be built here where he could live sans souci ("without worries"). The park has a botanical garden and many beautiful buildings:

• The Sanssouci Palace (Schloss Sanssouci), a lovely palace that belonged to the Prussian royal family.
• The Orangery Palace (Orangerieschloss), which was used for royal guests.
• The New Palace (Neues Palais), built between 1763 and 1769 to celebrate the end of a war. It's much bigger than Sanssouci, with over 200 rooms. Today, parts of it are used by the University of Potsdam.
• The Charlottenhof Palace (Schloss Charlottenhof), a beautiful Neoclassical palace built in 1826.
• The Roman Baths (Römische Bäder), a group of buildings including a tea pavilion and a Roman-style bathhouse.
• The Chinese Tea House (Chinesisches Teehaus), an 18th-century pavilion built in a popular Chinese style.

Three gates from the old city wall are still standing today. The oldest is the Hunters' Gate (Jägertor), built in 1733. The Nauener Tor was built in 1755. The fancy Brandenburg Gate (built in 1770) is at the western entrance to the old town. Don't confuse it with the famous Brandenburg Gate in Berlin!

St. Nicholas' Church on the Alter Markt

The Old Market Square (Alter Markt) is the historic heart of Potsdam. For 300 years, the City Palace (Stadtschloß) stood here. It was the winter home of the Prussian kings. The palace was damaged in 1945 and torn down in 1961. But in 2014, a new building was completed on the same spot, looking like the old palace. It now houses the Brandenburg Landtag (state parliament).

The main shopping street, Brandenburger Straße, in the old town.

Today, the Old Market Square is dominated by the dome of St. Nicholas' Church. It was built in 1837 in the Neoclassical style. The eastern side of the square has the Old City Hall, built in 1755. It has a unique round tower with a golden Atlas statue holding the world.

North of the Old Market Square is the oval French Church (Französische Kirche). To the south is the Museum Barberini, an art museum.

Garrison Church

The Garrison Church has a special chapel and a viewing platform 57 meters (187 feet) high.

Another special place in Potsdam is the Dutch Quarter (Holländisches Viertel). It's a unique area in Europe with about 150 red-brick houses built in the Dutch style. It was built between 1734 and 1742 for Dutch craftspeople who were invited to live there. Today, it's one of Potsdam's most visited areas.

North of the city center is the Russian colony of Alexandrowka. It's a small area with Russian-style buildings, including an Orthodox chapel. It was built in 1825 for Russian immigrants. Since 1999, it's part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Palaces and Parks of Potsdam and Berlin.

East of Alexandrowka is a large park called the New Garden (Neuer Garten). It was designed in the English style starting in 1786. It has two palaces, including the Cecilienhof, where the Potsdam Conference was held in 1945.

Babelsberg, a part of the city southeast of the center, is home to the UFA film studios (Babelsberg Studios). It also has a large park with historic buildings, like the Babelsberg Palace (Schloß Babelsberg).

The Einstein Tower is located in the Albert Einstein Science Park. Potsdam also has a memorial center in the former KGB prison.

Potsdam joined UNESCO's Network of Creative Cities as a Design City in 2019.

Beautiful Parks in Potsdam

Potsdam has many beautiful parks, and most of them are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Here are some of their attractions:

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  The Chinese House in Sanssouci Park

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  Glienicke Hunting Lodge, seen from Babelsberg Park

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  The Marmorpalais in New Garden

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  Sanssouci: the Orangery Palace

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  The Belvedere auf dem Klausberg

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  Babelsberg Palace

Sports in Potsdam

Potsdam is home to several sports teams and events:

• 1. FFC Turbine Potsdam: One of Germany's most successful women's football clubs.
• Potsdam Royals: An American football team that plays in the German Football League.
• SV Babelsberg 03: A football club that plays in the Regionalliga Nordost.
• USV Potsdam: A club with teams for rugby union and football.
• The Potsdamer Schlössermarathon (Potsdam Palace Marathon) is a marathon held every June. Thousands of runners race past the palaces.

Famous People from Potsdam

Born in the 1700s

• Ludwig Yorck von Wartenburg (1759–1830), a Prussian field marshal.
• Wilhelm von Humboldt (1767–1835), a famous scholar who founded the Berlin Humboldt University.
• Frederick William III of Prussia (1770–1840), King of Prussia.
• Eleonore Prochaska (1785–1813), a woman soldier who fought in the liberation war.

Born in the 1800s

• Moritz Hermann von Jacobi (1801–1874), a physicist and engineer.
• Carl Gustav Jacob Jacobi (1804–1851), a mathematician.
• Hermann von Helmholtz (1821–1894), a physiologist and physicist.
• Frederick III, German Emperor (1831–1888), Emperor of the German Empire.
• Ernst Haeckel (1834–1919), a zoologist and philosopher.
• Wilhelm II, German Emperor (1859–1941), the last German Emperor.
• Hasso von Manteuffel (1897–1978), a general and later a politician.

Born in the 1900s

• Margarete Buber-Neumann (1901–1989), a writer.
• Egon Eiermann (1904–1970), an architect.
• Louis Ferdinand of Prussia (1907–1994), a German prince.
• Peter Weiss (1916–1982), a writer and painter.
• Hilla Becher (1934–2015), a photographer.
• Nicole Heesters (born 1937), an actress.
• Wolfgang Joop (born 1944), a fashion designer.
• Matthias Platzeck (born 1953), a politician.
• Klara Geywitz (born 1976), a politician.

Born in the 2000s

• Melissa Kössler (born 2000), a footballer for the German national team.

Honorary Citizens

These are people who have been given special honor by the city of Potsdam:

• 1845: Wilhelm Ludwig Viktor Henckel von Donnersmarck, a military general.
• 1856: Friedrich von Wrangel, a field marshal.
• 1863: Peter Joseph Lenné, a famous gardener and landscape architect.
• 1891: Hermann von Helmholtz, a naturalist.
• 1905: Theobald von Bethmann Hollweg, a president of the Brandenburg province.
• 1955: Max Volmer, a physical chemist.
• 1960: Hans Marchwitza, a writer.
• 1965: Otto Nagel, a painter.

See also

In Spanish: Potsdam para niños