Potsdam International Architecture

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Home Towns - Potsdam, Germany

International Inspirations
for Potsdam's Architecture

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Potsdam's architecture has a centuries-long history of foreign influences. As the town grew, this international ambience became Potsdam's indistinguishable trade mark, making every stroll through town look a journey around the world. Here are some examples of foreign influence from five continents, in chronological order.

1740 - Dutch Quarters, inspired by Herengracht, Amsterdam

Between 1733 and 1740, King Frederick William I had Dutch architect Johann Boumann building 134 traditional Dutch houses to attract Dutch artisans to move to his residence. After the Netherlands were severly destroyed in world War II, Potsdam's Dutch Quarters became the largest conglomeration of traditional Dutch houses in Europe.

Dutch Quarters, Potsdam Herengracht, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

1747 - Obelisk Gate, inspired by Ancient Egyptian Monuments

The Obelisk Gate was one of the first parts of Sanssouci Park, designed by architect von Knobelsdorff. While the hyroglyphs on the obelisk are pure fantasy, the obelisk as such is modeled after similar objects in Egypt. Today, there are a number of Egyptina-inspired monuments across the park, amongst them a group of Sphinxes at the southern entrance.

Sphinx and Obelisk in Sanssouci Park, Potsdam Sphinx and Obelisk in Karnak, Egypt

1748 - Sanssouci Park, inspired by Versailles, France

Although King Frederick the Great and his famous landscaper von Knobelsdorff put a lot of their own ideas into the Park of Sanssouci, the resemblance with the famous gardens of Versailles is obvious.

Sanssouci Park, Potsdam Chateau de Versailles, France

1755 - Nauen Gate, inspired by Inveraray Castle, Scotland

Architect Johann Gottfried Büring designed this gate after a sketch made by Frederick the Great.
The King got his idea from a much larger Scotish castle at famous Loch Lomond.

Both sides of Potsdam's Nauen Gate Inveraray Castle, Loch Lomond, Scotland

1763 - Chinese Pavillion, a temple built in the architectural style of Chinoiserie

Chinoiserie is not "real" Chinese architecture but rather a European artistic style, combining Rokoko and Orinetal styles. Potsdam's Chinese Pavillion is worldwide one of the best examples of this style.

Chinese Pavillion, Potsdam Summer Palace, Beijing, China

1770 - Brandenburg Gate, a Triumphal Arch, designed after the Arch of Constantine in Rome

After Frederick the Great had won the Seven Years War and establishing Prussia as a new European super power, the otherwise modest King decided to turn the wooden gate at the west side of town into his very own Triumphal Arch, modeled after the Arch of Emperor Constantine in Rome.

Both sides of Potsdam's Brandenburg Gate Arch of Constantine, Roman Empire

1827 - Alexandrovka, modeled after the village of Glasovo, near St. Petersburg, Russia

Potsdam's russian colony was built as a tribute to Russian Tzar Alexander I.
The houses, built in traditional Russian style were home to the members of a Russian Choir.

Russian Colony, Potsdam Old Russian Village

1829 - Alexander Nevky Church, built as a scale model for the Church of the Tithes, Kiev, Ukraine

This Church was built by Russian Architect Wasily Stasov as a scale model for the much larger Church of the Tithes, which was erectet in Kiev in 1842. It is now the oldest example of the achitecture periode of Russian Revial and the oldest Russian-Orthodoxe Church in Western Europe.

Alexander Nevsky Church, Potsdam Church of the Tithes, Kiev, Ukraine

1837 - Gate of Saint Nicholas Church, inspired by the Temple of Zeus, Olympia, Greece

While today's St. Nicholas Church with its impressive dome resembles the Panthéon in Paris, the original design of 1837 looked a lot more like a Greek Temple. And since the gates to the Paris Pantheon are a replica of a Greek Temple anyway, we leave this as a rare example of Greek architecture in Potsdam.

St. Nicholas Church in 1837
(The dome wasn't added until 1859) Gates to St. Nicholas Church, Potsdam Model of Zeus Temple, Olympia, Greece

1843 - Sanssouci Pump Station, modeled in the style of a Turkish Mosque

In oder to deliver water to the fountains of Sanssouci Park, a pump station with a steam engine was needed. Since the steam engine required a tall chimney, which could best be disguised as a minaret, King Frederick William IV ordered architect Persius, to build the pump station "in the manner of a Turkish Mosque with a minaret as a chimney". It is not modeled after a particular mosque, but we found one that is similar.

Sansoucci Pump Station, Potsdam Sokollu Mehmet Pasha Mosque, Istanbul, Turkey

1845 - Statue of the Resurrected Christ, copy of a statue in the Church of Our Lady in Copenhagen, Denmark

In 1821, Danish sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen created a marble statue of the resurrected Jesus Christ for the Church of our Lady in the Danish capital Copenhagen. By many, this statue is considered the most perfect statue of Christ in the world and copies of it can be found all over the world, from the Temple Square in Salt Lake City to Legoland. One of the first copies was created for the Church of Peace in Potsdam.

Statue of the Resurrected Christ, Church of Peace, Potsdam Much larger original in Copenhagen, Denmark

1849 - Babelsberg Castle, inspired by Windsor Castle, England

In 1849, Prince William, the later German Emperor William I got his own summer residence, designed in the style of English Gothic, just like the famous - but much larger - Windsor Castle in Berkshere, England.

Babelsberg Castle, Potsdam Windsor Castle, Berkshere, United Kingdom

1852 - Pfingstberg Belvedere, an unfinished villa that was supposed to look like Villa Farnese in Caprarola, Italy

Originally, King Frederick William IV, the "Romantic on the Thron" wanted a building similar to Villa Caprarola north of Rome, which he visited in 1828. But after five years, work came to a hold in 1852. The unfinished building turned out beautifully, even if it doesn't bear much resemblance with the original.

Pfingstberg Belvedere, Potsdam Villa Farnese, Caprarola, Italy

1859 - Saint Nicholas Church with Dome, inspired by The Pantheon, Paris, France

In 1859, architect Schinkel's vision of a church with a dome, modeled after the Paris Panthéon was fulfilled. Until today, this is the most dominant building of Potsdam's Old Market Square.

St. Nicholas Church, Potsdam Panthéon, Paris, France

1911 - General von Steuben Monument, copy of a monument at Valley Forge, Virginia

Not really a piece of architecture, but with this gift from the US Congress to the German Emperor, the United States made it on Potsdam's map. The monument depicts Prussian born American General Friedrich von Steuben, inspecting the American Revolutionary Army.

General von Steuben Monument, Potsdam General von Steuben Monument, Valley Forge, Virginia, USA

1917 - Cecilienhof Castle, built in the style of English Country Cottages

Just one year before the end of German Monarchy, Potsdam's last castle was completed. It was designed to look like an English Tudor-Style Country House. The castle became famuos after 1945 as the place of the Potsdam Conference.

Cecilienhof Castle, Potsdam Bramall Hall, Manchester, England

1970 - City Library, a scary example of Socialist Realism

During the Communist Years, Potsdam wasn't spared from Soviet-inspired architecture, called Socialist Realism. In the 1970s, these kind of buildings littered cityscapes anywhere from Berlin to Moscow and Beijing.

City and State Library, Potsdam Hotel Moskva, Moscow, Soviet Union

2006 - Brandenburg State Theatre, inspired by the Opera House in Sydney, Australia

This is the latest addition to Potsdam's internationaly inspired architecture, adding another continent to the map of inspirations.

State Theatre, Potsdam Opera House, Sydney, Australia