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Alexandrowka
A short walk north of the Altstadt is Potsdam's most unusual neighbourhood, the Russian colony Alexandrowka. Its 13 wooden houses were built in 1826-27 by Friedrich Wilhelm III for the Russian singers of a military choir that performed for the king. Four of the families living in the colony are descendants of the original settlers.
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Belvedere auf dem Klausberg
A temple-like pavilion whose sumptuous interior was beautifully restored following war damage. There are nice views from the top.
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Belvedere Pfingstberg
For the best view over Potsdam and surrounds, head uphill to the beautifully restored Belvedere Pfingstberg. This elegant Renaissance-style summer palace was commissioned by Friedrich Wilhelm IV but not completed until 1863, two years after the king's death. A series of spiralling wrought-iron staircases lead up to the towers for spectacular 360° views. On the ground floor is a small exhibit chronicling the amazing restoration process this nearly dilapidated building recently went through.
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Bildergalerie
Completed in 1763, this is considered Germany's first purpose-built art museum. Inside is a feast of baroque paintings, including works by Rubens, Caravaggio and van Dyck.
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Brandenburger Tor
Luisenplatz is dominated by the baroque Brandenburger Tor.
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Chinesisches Teehaus
The adorable Chinesisches Teehaus is a domed circular pavilion which houses a collection of Chinese and Meissen porcelain, but it's the exterior that'll have you burning up the pixels. The entire building is encircled by groups of gilded sandstone figures with oriental dress and features shown sipping tea, dancing and playing musical instruments. One of the monkeys is said to resemble Voltaire!
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Dampfmaschinenhaus
The curious Dampfmaschinenhaus looks very much like a mosque, but in reality houses the former palace waterworks.
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Drachenhaus
The fantastical Drachenhaus, 1770, is a teensy Chinese palace inspired by the Ta-Ho pagoda in Canton and decorated with 16 dragons. It now houses a pleasant café-restaurant.
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Filmmuseum
Located in the former Marstall (royal stables) is the smallish Filmmuseum with a permanent exhibit on the history of the UFA and DEFA (the GDR film company) studios in Babelsberg. The cinema shows historic flicks.
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Filmpark Babelsberg
The eastern suburb of Babelsberg is best known as the home of UFA, Germany's one-time response to Hollywood. Shooting began in 1912 but the studio had its heyday in the 1920s, when such silent-movie epics as Fritz Lang's Metropolis were shot, along with some early Greta Garbo films. Cameras are rolling again in Babelsberg, but mostly it's restyled itself as the Filmpark Babelsberg. It's a movie theme park complete with live shows, including a rather impressive stunt show, and a few poky rides.
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Flatowturm
You'll find Flatowturm, modelled after a medieval town gate in Frankfurt am Main, in Park Babelsberg.
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Französische Kirche
The 1753 Französische Kirche was once the seat of the town's Huguenots.
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Historische Mühle
A functioning replica of an 18th-century windmill that actually predated Schloss Sanssouci by six years. Admission buys you close-ups of the enormous grinding mechanism and a look at still evolving exhibits.
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Holländisches Viertel
Bounded by Friedrich-Ebert-Strasse, Hebbelstrasse, Kurfürstenstrasse and Gutenbergstrasse, the Holländisches Viertel has some 134 gabled red-brick houses built for Dutch workers who came to Potsdam in the 1730s at the invitation of Friedrich Wilhelm I (they didn't stay long). The entire district has been beautifully gentrified and now brims with galleries, cafés and restaurants; Mittelstrasse is especially scenic.
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Luisenplatz
Luisenplatz is dominated by the baroque Brandenburger Tor (Brandenburg Gate). From this square, the pedestrianised Brandenburger Strasse runs due east to the Sts Peter und Paul Kirche (Church of Sts Peter and Paul, 1868). Just to the southeast on Charlottenstrasse, and once the seat of the town's Huguenots, is the Französische Kirche (French Church, 1753).
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Marmorpalais
The neoclassical Marmorpalais, built in 1792 by Carl Gotthard Langhans (he of Berlin's Brandenburg Gate fame) for Friedrich Wilhelm II, has recently been carefully restored. Though not quite as fancy as Schloss Sanssouci, the interior is still stunning with its grand central staircase, marble fireplaces, stucco ceilings and collection of Wedgwood porcelain. The most fanciful room is the upstairs Orientalisches Kabinett, which looks like a Turkish tent.
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Nauener Tor
The fanciful 1755 Nauener Tor is a fairytale-like triumphal arch.
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Neue Kammern
A former orangery and guesthouse, whose fancy interior includes the festive Ovidsaal , a grand ballroom with a patterned marble floor surrounded by gilded reliefs. Subtropical plants thrive west of here in the Sizilianischer Garten (Sicilian Garden).
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Neuer Garten
The winding lakeside Neuer Garten, laid out in natural English style on the western shore of the Heiliger See, is another fine park in which to relax. Right on the lake, the neoclassical Marmorpalais built in 1792 by Carl Gotthard Langhans (he of Berlin's Brandenburg Gate fame) for Friedrich Wilhelm II, has recently been carefully restored.
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Neues Palais
Easily recognised by its made-to-impress dimensions, central dome and lavish exterior decorated with a parade of sandstone figures. It was the last palace built by Frederick the Great, but he never really camped out here, preferring the intimacy of Schloss Sanssouci. Later it served as a guesthouse and only the last German Kaiser, Wilhelm II, used it as a residence until 1918.
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Nikolaikirche
The great neoclassical dome of Schinkel's Nikolaikirche was built in 1850.
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Orangerieschloss
The elegantly aging Orangerieschloss is a Renaissance-style palace conceived by Italophile Friedrich Wilhelm IV in 1864. At 300m long, it is grandiose in dimension but hardly the most interesting park structure. In the central section is the Raphaelsaal, with 19th-century copies of the painter's masterpieces, and a tower that can be climbed in summer for views over the Neues Palais and the park. The west wing is used to store sensitive plants in winter.
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Park Babelsberg
Park Babelsberg, yet another great Potsdam garden, is where you'll find the Schinkel-designed neo-Gothic Schloss Babelsberg and the Flatowturm, modelled after a medieval town gate in Frankfurt am Main.
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Park Charlottenhof
Was laid out under Friedrich Wilhelm IV and now blends smoothly with Park Sanssouci. It's considerably less tourist-saturated but lacks the blockbuster sights. Its anchor is Schloss Charlottenhof, which is considered one of Karl Friedrich Schinkel's finest works, although we're not quite sure why. The palace was modelled after a Roman villa and sports a fountain terrace and charming rose garden.
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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 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.
