Potsdam, once Germany's most important city as residence to Prussian kings and German emperors, claims Frederick the Great as its most flamboyant resident. The splendour of Sanssouci Palace, built by Frederick the Great, draws on the fabulous architecture of Versailles in France. It stands on a hill in the middle of a 287-hectare landscape park and is perhaps Germany's best known example of rococo architecture. Stroll down the old Dutch quarter with its quaint, red brick, two-story buildings built between 1737 and 1742, and nearby Brandenburger Street, once home to Mozart. Seek out Alexandrowka, the Russian complex of a dozen half-timbered log cabins designed in the form of a St. Andrew's cross. These were once homes to Russian singers belonging to a choir that had remained in the Prussian army following the campaign against Napoleon. Close by are the Church of St. Nicholas and the old Town Hall, architectural gems looking onto the Old Market. In the historic Royal Stables of the Old Market is Potsdam's Film Museum. Nearby are the buildings of Babelsberg, cradle of German cinema and still a major media center.

Since 1990, the palaces and parks of Potsdam are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List