Germany (Lonely Planet, 6th Edition) - Andrea Schulte-Peevers [117]
No single individual shaped Potsdam more than King Friedrich II (Frederick the Great), the visionary behind many of Sanssouci’s fabulous palaces and parks. In April 1945, Royal Air Force bombers devastated the historic centre, including the City Palace on Am Alten Markt, but fortunately most other palaces escaped with nary a shrapnel wound. When the shooting stopped, the Allies chose Schloss Cecilienhof for the Potsdam Conference of August 1945, which set the stage for the division of Berlin and Germany into occupation zones.
Potsdam was also the centre of Germany’s influential film industry from the very early days of the medium when the mighty UFA studio was based here. After reunification, the dream factory was resurrected as Studio Babelsberg and is now producing or coproducing such international blockbusters as Quentin Tarantino’s Inglorious Basterds, Stephen Daldry’s The Reader and Roman Polanski’s Academy Award–winner The Pianist.
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Orientation
Potsdam Hauptbahnhof (central train station) is just southeast of the Altstadt, across the Havel River. Park Sanssouci is west of the historic centre, while the Neuer Garten with Schloss Cecilienhof is north. Babelsberg is about 4km east of central Potsdam.
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Information
BOOKSHOPS
Das Internationale Buch ( 291 496; cnr Friedrich-Ebert-Strasse & Brandenburger Strasse) Great selection of maps and travel books.
DISCOUNT CARDS
Potsdam Card (2/3 days €9.60/12.30) This card buys unlimited public transport plus discounts to sights, restaurants, tours and hotels and is sold at the tourist office, hotels and participating venues.
EMERGENCY
Fire & ambulance ( 112)
Police ( 110)
INTERNET ACCESS
Bagels & Coffee ( 887 1612; Friedrich-Ebert-Strasse 92; per hr €1.50; 7am-10pm Mon-Thu, 7am-11pm Fri, 8.30am-11pm Sat, 8.30am-10pm Sun)
MEDICAL SERVICES
Klinikum Ernst-von-Bergmann ( 2410; Charlottenstrasse 72) General hospital and 24-hour emergency room.
MONEY
Commerzbank ( 281 90; Lindenstrasse 45)
Eurochange ( 280 4033; Brandenburger Strasse 29; 9.30am-6pm Mon-Fri, 9.30am-4pm Sat)
POST
Main post office (Am Kanal 16-18; 9am-6.30pm Mon-Fri, 9am-1pm Sat)
TOURIST INFORMATION
For pretrip planning, visit www.potsdamtourismus.de.
Sanssouci Besucherzentrum ( 969 4200; www.spsg.de; An der Orangerie 1; 8.30am-5pm Mar-Oct, 9am-4pm Nov-Feb)
Tourist office Brandenburger Tor ( 275 580; Brandenburger Strasse 3; 9.30am-6pm Mon-Fri, to 4pm Sat & Sun Apr-Oct, 10am-6pm Mon-Fri, 9.30am-2pm Sat & Sun Nov-Mar)
Tourist office Potsdam Hauptbahnhof ( 275 580; Bahnhofspassagen, Babelsberger Strasse 16; 9.30am-8pm Mon-Fri, 9am-8pm Sat) Next to platform 6.
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Sights
PARK SANSSOUCI
Park Sanssouci is the oldest and most splendid of Potsdam’s many gardens, a vast landscaped expanse of mature trees, rare plants and magnificent palaces. Its trump card is Schloss Sanssouci, Frederick the Great’s favourite summer retreat, a place where he could be ‘sans souci’ (without cares). In the 19th century, Friedrich Wilhelm IV also left his mark on the park by adding a few buildings
The park is open from dawn till dusk year-round. Admission is free, but there are machines by the entrance where you can make a voluntary donation of €2. The palaces and outbuildings all have different hours and admission prices. Most are closed on Monday and some of the lesser sights open only at weekends and on holidays outside the main season. A one-day pass valid at all Potsdam palaces is €19 (concession €14) and available only at Schloss Sanssouci. A day pass to all palaces except Sanssouci is €14 (concession €10) and sold at any of them, and also at the Sanssouci Besucherzentrum.
The palaces are fairly well spaced – it’s almost 2km between the Neues Palais (New Palace) and Schloss Sanssouci. Take your sweet time wandering along the park’s meandering paths to discover your personal favourite spot. Free maps are available at the tourist office. Cycling is officially permitted along