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Potsdam The city of palaces & parks

Sanssouci palace, the former summer palace of Frederick II of Prussia

Triwik Kurniasari (The Jakarta Post)
Potsdam, Germany
Sun, April 29, 2012 Published on Apr. 29, 2012 Published on 2012-04-29T09:41:30+07:00

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Sanssouci palace, the former summer palace of Frederick II of Prussia.

It was a gloomy yet drizzly morning in Potsdam when I arrived after taking a train trip of about half an hour from Berlin.

As I stepped out of the train station, I buttoned my jacket and multilayered my scarf around my neck, trying to protect myself from the wind as the temperature was a cool 15 Celsius degrees in early summer.

The weather, however, did not dampen my enthusiasm to explore the city and find out what Potsdam, the city of Prussian tradition and values, had to offer.

With map in hand, I walked toward the city center, crossing the Lange Brücke (long bridge) which spans the two branches of the river Havel.

In between the branches is the 6-hectare Freundschaftsinsel (the friendship island) with its park, playground and an open-air stage that provide a relaxing area for leisure.

Not far from the bridge, there is the Alter Markt square with its towering Nikolaikirche (St. Nicholas Church), built in 1849.

For ¤5 visitors may go up to the dome to view the city from above.

In the middle of the square, there is a 16-meter obelisk with carved faces of Potsdam’s four great architects — Knobelsdorff, Schinkel, Gontard and Persius.

The Hans-Otto-Theater, which stands tall opposite the Nikolaikirche, is a favorite haunt for theater lovers.

The Dutch Quarter with its well-known red brick houses.

Not far from the Alter Markt, there is Germany’s oldest film museum; Potsdam’s Babelsberg film studio is regarded as the cradle of German cinema.

In the heart of the city, I was surprised to find that Potsdam has a Brandenburg Gate, which is a smaller version of the one in Berlin.

The memorial gate, nestled between the Luisenplatz (a square close to Sanssouci Park) and Brandenburger Straße, was erected as an expression of joy following a great victory in 1770.

I went on my way to catch a glimpse of numerous baroque houses along Brandenburger Straße. The houses date back to the 18th century and are now nice cafés, restaurants and fancy shops.

Get a taste of Holland in the lively atmosphere of Holländischen Viertel or the Dutch Quarter where you can find various charming shops, cafés and bars.

The area is home to around 130 brick houses built in the middle of the 18th century as a Dutch settlement during the reign of King Frederick I.

A typical old German car offered for a rent to take tourists around the city.

To sit at a street café, while having a cup of hot coffee or cold treats like ice cream, is really quite something.

After strolling past this fascinating district, I headed to the Russische Kolonie or the historic Russian colony of Alexandrovka where you can see numerous unique wooden houses.

The main attraction in Potsdam is the Schloss Sanssouci or Sanssouci Palace — the celebrated summer residence of King Frederick II.

It all began in the 18th century when Frederick the Great aimed at cultivating fruit and wine in Potsdam.

He built a terraced garden in the area, but he later expanded it into a huge summer residence due to its breathtaking views of the city.

Rooms in the rococo-styled palace, which was designed by Georg Wenzeslaus von Knobelsdorff, include the Konzertsaal (Concert Hall) and the bed chambers of the Damenflügel.

Frederick William IV added two-story wings to replace the dilapidated domestic wings, rooms for the ladies in waiting and servants of his Bavarian wife Elisabeth were located in the western part of the building.

Authentic furniture, paintings, sculpture and porcelain give a good impression of life at the court in this period.

A large part of Potsdam became a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1990 enveloping Sanssouci Palace and the other royal palaces, the three historical parks, Babelsberg and the Russian Alexandrowka colony.

On some occasions, many of these palaces, gardens and parks transform into venues for concerts and theater performances.

The hands of my watch pointed to three in the afternoon. The clouds were gone and the sun shone warmly, bringing brightness to the city.

I stopped at a weekend flea market, known locally as antik & trödelmarkt, in the area across from the film museum.

Bargain hunters flocked to the market seeking out used books (mostly in German), CDs, vintage topographical postcards, secondhand and vintage clothes, bags, antique paintings, pottery, chandeliers or furniture.

Some stalls even sell new products, from kitchenware to underwear.

Another interesting thing about Potsdam is that it is also known for its activities in the fields of astrophysics, geodetic surveying and gravitational research centered on Telegrafenberg (Telegraph hill).

The hill used to be a place where scientific geniuses like Einstein, Schwarzschild and Michelson pursued their studies.

The hill is now home to the astrophysical observatory, the Einstein tower and the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), which specializes in the fields of global climate change, climate impact and sustainable development.

The route to the hill, situated opposite the city center, is refreshing with thick forests along the way.

More about Potsdam

•How to get there? From Berlin, the easiest way is take the S-bahn urban railway (S7 and S1) to Wansee and change train to Potsdam. Since Potsdam is part of area C, you need to obtain an A-B-C ticket, which can be easily purchased through vending machines at every S-bahn station. Remember to always validate your ticket before boarding the train.

•There are many routes around Potsdam. If you don’t have strong feet, you can hire a bike and go for a guided bike tour, which are available almost every hour daily. You can get info on the bike tours, especially the one with an English guide, at the tourist information center in the main train station.

•Those who fancy a boat trip can hop on at the harbor, located within walking distance from the Lange Brücke. Here, modern passenger ships of the Weiße Flotte (white fleet) and steamboats of the Havel Dampfschifffahrt (steamboat company) are available for day trips and excursions.

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