Potsdam's architecture reflects the city's history. And the aspirations of its rulers. Today, Brandenburg's state capital undoubtedly has many faces. Over the course of time, people from all over Europe came to the residential city of the Hohenzollern dynasty – and so did their buildings. To this day, Potsdam retains this European esprit. In just a few minutes you can cycle from the French Church to Cecilienhof Country House, built in the English country house style. Or from the Bohemian Weavers' Quarter in Babelsberg to the romantic Swiss houses in Klein Glienicke. The scent of the sweet oranges of the Sicilian Garden makes you dream of Italy, the red bricks of the Dutch Quarter reminds you of Amsterdam and the next moment you are part of a fairy tale in the Russian Colony Alexandrovka.
Destination The World – blog post from Matthias and Kent about their trip to Potsdam.
However, it’s not only Potsdam's appearance that is diverse, its culture and tradition are also varied. Thanks to the tolerance and marriage policy of the Brandenburg and Prussian rulers, people from all over Europe flowed into Potsdam – as craftsmen, religious refugees and skilled workers. Their knowledge and skills helped the city realize its visions, such as establishing its own silk production, completing the drainage of a city built on a swamp, and cultivating Mediterranean plants on German soil.
These visions can still be admired today if you look behind the pretty brick façades of the Dutch Quarter, through the small windows of the weaver houses in Babelsberg or at the silk wallpapers of the New Palace. From afar, you can see the rotating blades of the Historic Windmill of Sanssouci, bringing the miller’s craft to life as it did in Frederick II’s time. The Royal Vineyard invites you to enjoy hand-picked delicacies. The Europe-inspired arts and pleasures that found their way to Potsdam are still alive today, for example, when enjoying a wine picnic at the foot of the Klausberg Hill. What’s more, the tales of those who have made Potsdam so multifaceted today are spreading to many other places in the city.