Potsdam is a delightful town surrounded by Brandenburg's magnificent countryside. A friendly place, Potsdam is famous for its film productions and historical landmarks. With numerous research institutes based here, Potsdam is also the region's economic centre. And the best thing about Potsdam is that everywhere is within easy cycling distance.
Facts
180,334 Inhabitants ¹
30,214 Students ²
9 Higher education institutions ²
WELCOME TO POTSDAM
Potsdam is a historical town. Once a royal seat and garrison town, it has retained much of its former splendour, as revealed by its expansive parks, stately buildings and magnificent palaces. „Each to his own“ is an old town motto dating back to the 18th century. And this still appears to hold true even today.
You’ll soon notice that the pace of life slows down in Potsdam. Residents and visitors have a relaxed air about them and are drawn in by the town’s unique charm. You can explore most of the sights by bike. The capital of the federal state of Brandenburg is clean, compact and peaceful. In the town centre, you get the impression the locals all know each other.
Imposing monuments such as Cecilienhof Palace and Sanssouci Palace still bear witness to the town’s past. The Russian quarter Alexandrowka, the Dutch houses in the town centre, the Volkspark Babelsberg and Pfingstberg are also well worth a visit.
The buildings of the higher education institutions are spread all over the town.
Tip
I love the fact that Potsdam is so incredibly green. Trips on the river Havel and lakes are a special way of exploring more of Potsdam’s cultural landscape. I once hired a raft there with friends in the summer. We had a barbecue on it and floated down the river. It was great fun!
Every year, the town attracts visitors with a theme year, hosting over a hundred interesting events and activities. In the year dedicated to the subject of “Film“, for example, open-air film screenings were organised at original film locations. The town’s idyllic setting is undoubtedly one of the reasons why German celebrities such as fashion designer Wolfgang Joop and TV presenter Günther Jauch live here.
Interview
JAEYOON FROM SOUTH KOREA
LIVING IN POTSDAM
Life in Potsdam is relaxed and enjoyable. The clocks here tick a little slower than they do elsewhere. Many students commute from every day because they prefer to live in a more vibrant city. Depending on exact location and connections, the journey takes between 20 and 60 minutes. Even if recreational activities do not compare with those of Potsdam’s bigger neighbour, the town has a lot to offer students. The countryside in and around Potsdam is exceptional: numerous lakes, woodland areas and the river Havel are ideal places for sporting activities.
The town also offers an impressive cultural programme: the Filmmuseum Potsdam, which hosts film evenings and special exhibitions, the Filmpark in Babelsberg and the tropical world of Biosphere Potsdam, to name just a few. Indeed, Potsdam is a centre of film with an annual student film festival and open-air screenings in the summer.
In Potsdam, nothing is far away. There are lots of student parties and clubs. Special events are regularly organised, such as games evenings, karaoke or readings. You’ll find most bars and cafés in the town centre around Brandenburger Strasse, Potsdam’s main shopping street. The higher education institutions also organise start-of-semester parties. Of course, lots of students also like to organise private parties in the various student residences.
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