Potsdam, Germany

5.11.2018

We went to Potsdam as well as it only takes around 20 min with public transport to get there. We tried to buy a ticket from the machine in the train station but all of the machines did not work. Finally Flo bought the tickets from the app but we wasted so much time with that. We took a train from our hotel to the Zoologischer Garten and from there we took the S train to Potsdam.

When we arrived, we saw a bike rent option and took it. We saw everything what we wanted on the bikes and it was really nice with them. Also my ass did not hurt after. By foot we would not see everything as the places were far from each other.

St. Nicholas' Church on the Old Market Square

Nauener Tor (Gate), built in 1755. It is one of the three preserved gates of Potsdam

View from the Nauener gate to the south

Brandenburg Gate in Potsdam, built in 1770/71. There used to be a city wall connecting the three gates in Potsdam. Now, there is a promenade instead of the wall

We cycled to Sanssouci park where we left our bikes in front of the entrance as there was no cycling and bikes allowed. There are vineyards, palaces, flower gardens and greenhouses in the park.

Entrance to the park from the east side

Church of Peace or Friedenskirche

Neptune Grotto. It was supposed to be one component of the many fountains in the park, but due the lack of knowledge at that time, it did not function

Inside was decorated with shells

Sanssouci Picture Gallery. The oldest existing museum built for a ruler in Germany, for Frederick II of Prussia

From the gallery. Sculptures all over the park were protected with the boxes which are seen on each side of the picture. They were protected from the weather and as it wasn't the season

Sanssouci palace. The name comes from "sans souci" in French which means without concerns, carefree. The palace was meant for relaxing and not for power for Frederick the Great, King of Prussia

View from the palace

Behind the palace is Ruinenberg which Frederick the Great let built an artificial ruins to decorate its water tank which supplies water features of Sanssouci

We were walking from the Sanssouci palace to the mill and to behind the New Chambers

New Chambers. It used to be an orangery building but it was redesigned into a guesthouse

Autumn colours

The Chinese House is a garden pavilion to decorate Frederick the Great's flower and vegetable garden. Besides it being a decorative piece of garden architecture, it could be used for small social gatherings. It took 9 years to build as there was a 7 year war in between

Orangery Palace or the New Orangery on the Klausberg. The middle building with its twin towers is the actual palace, the building is joined to the Plant Hall

View from the Orangery Palace

The Plant Hall has windows almost from ceiling to floor

The New Palace. The building of the palace started at the end of the Seven Years' War, to celebrate Prussia’s success

Palace from behind. The building is considered to be the last great Prussian Baroque palace. Inside there is a theatre which dates back to the Frederick the Great’s reign in the 18th century and is still in use today

Across the New Palace is the Communs. Both of the buildings housed the royal kitchens, utilities, gardeners’ shops, palace guards and servants. Today the building is used by University of Potsdam. There is an underground tunnel between the palace and the Communs to allow passage

The Dutch Quarter with 134 red Dutch brick buildings. It is one of the most visited neighbourhoods in Potsdam

Peter and Paul Church

We cycled to Babelsberg park

Flatow Tower. It looked like a tower from Rapunzel or Sleeping beauty. I wouldn't mind living there

View to the Glienicke Bridge which is named after the nearby Glienicke Palace (which we did not see). During Cold War, this bridge was used to exchange of captured spies and the bridge became known as Bridge of Spies

Gerichtslaube a court arbour

Babelsberg Palace, completed in 1849. It has been a summer residence of many kings and emperors of Prussia

Steam-powered pump house or Dampfmaschinenhaus

After the Babelsberg Park we took the bikes back. It was a good deal we took as we saw almost everything we searched for what to do in Potsdam. Then we hopped on the train to Berlin and met with Flo's brother and friend.

I really liked Potsdam. It was a calm city with lots of parks. I recommend visiting when possible :)