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Potsdam, Germany
12017-08-12T21:50:54-07:00Curtis Fletcher3225f3b99ebb95ebd811595627293f68f680673e84764The Wilhelmplatz in Potsdam, Germany in 1776.plain2017-09-10T16:42:03-07:00Curtis Fletcher3225f3b99ebb95ebd811595627293f68f680673e
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12017-08-12T21:53:58-07:00Potsdam5Letters that refer to or were written in Potsdamplain2017-08-12T22:31:49-07:00The city of Potsdam is the capital and largest city of the German federal state of Brandenburg. It directly borders the German capital, Berlin, and is situated on the Havel River, 24 kilometres (15 miles) southwest of Berlin's city center.
Founded by Slavs in 993, it was chartered in 1317. It was an important medieval center, and became the electoral residence of the margrave of Brandenburg in 1640 under Frederick William, “the Great Elector” (16 February 1620 – 9 May 1688; reign: 1 December 1640 – 29 April 1688). During the 17th century it flourished as a cultural and military center of Prussia. Under Frederick II the Great (24 January 1712 – 17 August 1786; reign: 1740-1786) it became the Prussian royal residence. Many Dutch immigrants arrived in the 18th century and created a distinctive Dutch quarter.
Because of its architectural masterpieces (the 17 palaces that are surrounded by an abundance of landscape gardens lining the banks of the Havel river) Potsdam was named a World Cultural Heritage site by UNESCO <http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/532>.
Studio Babelsberg, founded in 1912, is the oldest large-scale film studio in the world and, since the fall of the Berlin Wall, it has become one of Europe’s leading service providers for major motion pictures, independent films, TV and advertising productions. http://www.studiobabelsberg.com/en/corporate/about-us/
The city was badly damaged in World War II, but much historic important architecture has survived, including the Rococo Sans Souci Palace, 1745-47, the Nicolai Church, 1830-37, and the Brandenburg Gate, 1770.
Potsdam developed into a center of science in Germany in the 19th century. Today, there are three public colleges, the University of Potsdam, and more than 30 research institutes in the city.
