Potsdam Tour - Kings, Crimes & Spies (by Private Vehicle)

Sanssouci Palace, located in Potsdam, is the former summer palace of Frederick the Great, King of Prussia. The palace, which translates to "without concerns" in French, was built between 1745 and 1747 in the Rococo style. It was designed by the architect Georg Wenzeslaus von Knobelsdorff to fulfil Frederick's need for a private residence where he could relax away from the pomp and ceremony of the Berlin court. The palace is surrounded by a terraced vineyard, which was a personal project of the king. The palace and its gardens became a World Heritage site in 1990.
Our visit to Sanssouci Palace is an external visit only.

The Brandenburger Tor (Brandenburg Gate) in Potsdam, located at Luisenplatz, was built in 1770/71 by Carl von Gontard and Georg Christian Unger under the commission of Frederick II. It stands at the western end of Brandenburger Straße, leading straight to the Church of St. Peter and Paul. The gate is one of the three remaining city gates of Potsdam. Originally, in 1733, a simpler gate stood at the same location, resembling a city gate and was part of a city wall, which served as a kind of customs wall to prevent desertion and smuggling.

A memorial to the political persecution during both German dictatorships. Commonly referred to as the "Lindenhotel," the building was used as an investigative prison for political prisoners during the Nazi era. After the war, it was taken over by the Soviet secret service NKWD/MGB and later by the Stasi (State Security) of the GDR for the same purpose. Following the political changes in 1989, it was transformed into the "House of Democracy" and has been used as a memorial since 2007.

Schloss Cecilienhof is an architectural ensemble built between 1913 and 1917 in the English Tudor style, designed by architect Paul Schultze-Naumburg. Located in the northern part of the Neuer Garten in Potsdam, near the Jungfernsee, it was the last palace built by the Hohenzollern dynasty. Commissioned by Kaiser Wilhelm II for his son, Crown Prince Wilhelm and his wife Cecilie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, the palace gained worldwide recognition as the venue for the Potsdam Conference from July 17 to August 2, 1945.
Our visit to Schloss Cecilienhof is an external visit only.

During the First World War, the Evangelisch-Kirchliche-Hilfsverein (Evangelical Church Relief Association) constructed an impressive villa at the current location of Leistikowstraße 1 in Potsdam. This building served as a parsonage and the main office of the Evangelische Frauenhilfe (Evangelical Women's Relief Society) until 1945. The society, which was later renamed Reichsfrauenhilfe after the National Socialists enforced conformity in 1933, was dedicated to women's voluntary social and charitable work. They provided courses for women in elderly care, sick care, and baby care. Additionally, they trained women in Bible study and organised recreational activities and recuperation programs for mothers. The building also housed the editorial offices of the association's periodical, "Der Bote" (The Messenger), the residence and study of the person in charge, and the apartment of the female vicar of the nearby Bible school.

Known as the "Bridge of Spies," spans the Havel River, connecting the Wannsee district of Berlin with Potsdam. Named after the nearby Glienicke Palace, the current bridge, which is the fourth on the site, was completed in 1907. However, it underwent significant reconstruction after being damaged during World War II. During the Cold War, the bridge gained notoriety as it was used several times for the exchange of captured spies between the Americans and Soviets, earning its nickname. The bridge was a restricted border crossing during the Cold War, with the Havel River forming the border between West Berlin and East Germany. It was reopened for pedestrians on the evening of 10 November 1989, one day after the opening of the Berlin Wall.

Checkpoint Bravo, also referred to as "Checkpoint B," was the primary Autobahn border crossing point between West Berlin and the German Democratic Republic (GDR). It was officially known in German as "Grenzübergangsstelle Drewitz-Dreilinden." The checkpoint was situated on the A 115 motorway, between Berlin's Nikolassee locality and the Brandenburg community of Drewitz. It played a significant role during the Cold War era, especially in the context of the Berlin border crossings. The checkpoint's location was slightly shifted in 1969 to avoid a brief re-entry into GDR territory before transit traffic could enter West Berlin. The site of the original checkpoint was used for filming and was auctioned in 2010. The vast area of the East-German checkpoint was later transformed into a commercial park named "Europarc Dreilinden." Today, a museum at the former main control tower educates visitors about the checkpoint's history.