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Potsdam

Description    
Potsdam is a city in eastern Germany and the capital of the state of Brandenburg.

Potsdam was probably founded in the 10th century as a Slavic village called "Poztupimi", centred on a castle. It was first mentioned in 993, and by 1317 is mentioned as a small (by now German) town, gaining its town charter in 1345. In 1573 it was still a small market town (2000 inhabitants); the Thirty Years War (1618 - 1648) destroyed nearly half the town.

Potsdam's fortunes changed dramatically when it was chosen for the hunting residence of Frederick William I, elector of Brandenburg, in 1660. It also housed a Prussian barracks. The city was later also adopted as a residence of the Prussian royal family. The majestic buildings were mainly built during the reign of Frederick the Great. The Sanssouci Palace (in French: "without cares", by Georg Wenzeslaus von Knobelsdorff, 1744) is one of these buildings, famed for its formal gardens and Rococo interiors.

Sights in Potsdam:

Sanssouci Palace and glasshousesSanssouci Palace, former palace of the Prussian royal and German imperial families.
Orangery Palace, former palace for foreign royal guests.
Neues Palais ("New Palace"), an additional palace in Sanssouci Park, built in 1769.
Charlottenhof, another palace in Sanssouci Park, by Karl Friedrich Schinkel (1826).
New Garden with two smaller palaces, one of them Cecilienhof, where the Potsdam Conference was held.
Old Town with the Dutch Quarter (Holländisches Viertel), Brandenburg Gate (1770, not to be confused with the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin), St. Nikolai church (1850) and town hall (1753).
Babelsberg, a quarter east of the centre, housing the UFA film studios.
Einstein Tower, Erich Mendelsohn architect, 1920-24.
Alexandrovka, a small enclave of Russian architecture due to 17th-century Russian immigrants
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