Potsdam

Potsdam is the capital city of the German federal state of Brandenburg. It lies on the southern shore of the River Havel, just southwest of Berlin, within the Berlin–Brandenburg metropolitan region. The city is known for its lakes and parks, notably Sanssouci Park and its palaces, and for a historic district that includes the Dutch Quarter and the Russian Colony.

Historically, Potsdam developed as a royal and electoral residence from the 17th century, becoming a center of Prussian court life under Frederick the Great who built Sanssouci Palace. The Cecilienhof Palace, completed in the early 20th century, is another key landmark. In 1945 Potsdam hosted the Potsdam Conference of the Allied powers, which produced the Potsdam Agreement. After World War II the city was part of the Soviet-occupied zone and later East Germany, remaining under the GDR until German reunification in 1990. Since then, Potsdam has undergone substantial redevelopment while preserving its cultural heritage.

Landmarks and culture include Sanssouci Palace and Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of Palaces and Parks of Potsdam and Berlin (inscribed in 1990). The Babelsberg area features both the Cecilienhof and the historic Babelsberg Film Studio. Other notable areas are the Dutch Quarter, the Russian Colony, and the Glienicke Bridge, known as the Bridge of Spies. Potsdam today hosts the University of Potsdam and a range of research and media institutions, with a local economy focused on administration, education, culture, and tourism. It is connected to Berlin by road and rail, with Potsdam Hauptbahnhof serving regional and long-distance services.