Potsdamer Platz Facts for Kids

Potsdamer Platz

Potsdamer Platz is a place-like traffic junction in Berlin's Mitte and Tiergarten districts in the Mitte district between the old city center in the east and the new Berlin west. As a double-site facility, it connects to Leipziger Platz to the west.

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Potsdamer Platz in 2016
2006
The Sony Center, 2004
Proposed design by Karl Friedrich Schinkel for Potsdamer Platz and Leipziger Platz.
Artist's rendering of the new Potsdam Gate after completion.
Potsdamer Platz – the Potsdamer Bahnhof around 1900.
Located a short distance away – the Anhalter Bahnhof around 1900.
Potsdamer Platz around 1900, looking north. The Grand Hotel Bellevue and Palast Hotel stand on either side of the northern portion of Königgrätzer Strasse (to be renamed Budapester Straße in 1915 and Friedrich Ebertstraße in 1925).
Potsdamer Platz in the mid-1920s, looking east into Leipziger Platz, with the Hotel Furstenhof on the right. A traffic light tower was erected on the elliptical central island in 1924.
Observation deck in West Berlin with a view of Potsdamer Platz on the other side of the Berlin Wall, 1977. At the bottom of the steps is a placard showing what the square looked like in 1929.
The Wertheim department store in 1927, showing the main facade along Leipziger Strasse
Stresemannstraße at night, July 1932, showing the Haus Vaterland. The Hotel Fürstenhof is in the left foreground while the brightly illuminated building in the distance is Europahaus, opposite the Anhalter Bahnhof.
The traffic light tower in November 1924, one month in operation (the ground around it still has to be cleared and paved). The street behind it is Bellevuestraße, with the canopy over Café Josty's pavement terrace visible on the left.
Pre-World War II heyday: Potsdamer Platz in 1932, showing the ultra-modern Columbushaus nearing completion.
Devastation in 1945. The burnt-out Columbushaus is in the left background.
Potsdamer Platz in October 1945. The Pschorr-Haus is the recognizable structure on the left. A short way down Potsdamer Straße on the left side the corner cupola of the Weinhaus Huth can be seen, while on the right are the ruins of Café Josty and the Weinhaus Rheingold.
Potsdamer Platz in May 1950 – British Daimler Armoured Cars in front of the House of Tourism ("Haus des Fremdenverkehrs")
Potsdamer Platz seen through barbed wire in 1963
Empty Potsdamer Platz in 1977
Berlin Wall At Potsdammerplatz 1962
Line on the ground marking where the Wall used to stand, on the edge of Leipziger Platz (2015)
The Potsdamer Platz crossing, seen here from the west into East Berlin, opened days after the first breach of the Berlin Wall in November 1989.
Potsdamer Platz by day
Potsdamer Platz at night
Potsdamer Platz from distance
Beisheim Center
Mall of Berlin at Leipziger Platz
Looking south over Potsdamer Platz in September 2005. The long green strip is Tilla Durieux Park, the site of the former Potsdamer Bahnhof and its approaches. The Park Kolonnaden development is on its left (eastern) side, while the Daimler development parallels it down the right (west) side. In the left foreground is Leipziger Platz, while in the right foreground are parts of the Sony and Beisheim Centers.
Berlin Wall at Potsdamer Platz, 1975, looking southeast into Stresemannstraße
Potsdamer Platz, 1986
Potsdamer Strasse, 1986
A view from the West Berlin side on the 25th anniversary of the Wall.
Workers clearing the square for a new border crossing, November 1989
East German officer monitors traffic returning to East Berlin, November 1989.
East German officer checks a car returning to East Berlin, November 1989.
Crossing between East and West Berlin, November 1989
Potsdamer Platz crossing passport stamp, 1990
Potsdamer Platz in 2005, with the replica of Germany's first traffic lights. In the background stands the Beisheim Centre.
The Sony Centre's Bahn Tower, Deutsche Bahn's corporate headquarters at Potsdamer Platz, in 2009.
The 2007 Berlinale (aka the Berlin International Film Festival): its principal venue at Potsdamer Platz.
Potsdamer Platz: the Sony Centre and Bahn Tower in 2007.
The New Potsdamer Strasse towards Potsdamer Platz in 2007. On the left side is the Bahn-Tower and on the right the Kollhoff-Tower
Residential building by Richard Rogers, part of the Daimler complex at Potsdamer Platz, in 2008.
Entrance hall (one of two) of the new underground regional train station (Bahnhof Potsdamer Platz) in 2005. It also gives access to the S-Bahn and the basement level food floor of the Arkaden shopping mall.

Potsdamer Platz facts for kids

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