Potsdam

Potsdam (Podstupim in Sorbian) is a suburban city (plate P) of 180 334 inhabitants of Germany, capital and major center of the Land of Brandenburg. It is located immediately southwest of the federal capital, Berlin, and is an important center in the Berlin / Brandenburg metropolitan region.

Potsdam, sometimes referred to as "the German Versailles", is known for the large number of palaces and parks that were used as residences by the kings of Prussia. All of its cultural sites (the largest in Germany) were included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1990 (see: Palaces and parks in Potsdam and Berlin).

Located about 20 kilometers southeast of Berlin, Potsdam represents the perfect union between art and nature.

Founded in the 7th century as a Slavic village, named after Poztupimi, in 1660 Potsdam was chosen by Frederick William as a hunting lodge.

The town later became the place of residence of the Prussian royal family, where splendid palaces were built, which are still preserved today.

The city is also a major industrial and scientific center, with more than 30 research institutes, as well as a university (Universität Potsdam). About 15% of the inhabitants are students. The Babelsberg district, at the time of the "Weimar Republic", was home to a large film center (UFA-Filmstudio Babelsberg) which made the city the center of German cinema.

Today the studios are still an important center of film and television production, possess state-of-the-art equipment and often chosen as a production location for international film projects.