Old Market Square, Potsdam

Old Market Square is located directly in front of St. Nicholas’s Church. The square features many beautiful historic buildings that have been reconstructed since World War II.

The square originally centered around the City Palace, which was built in 1662. City Palace served as the winter palace of Branderburg’s margraves and electors, kings of Prussia, and German emperors.

During the 1700s, Prussian king Frederick the Great transformed the square into a Roman piazza.

Old City Hall was built from 1753 to 1755. The square’s marble obelisk was added in 1753. The obelisk was created by architect Georg Wenzeslaus von Knobelsdorff and designed to promote the square’s Roman look. The obelisk originally featured depictions of former rulers and kings, which were replaced by portraits of Potsdam architects.

St. Nicholas’ Church was built from 1830 to 1837 and features a classical design. The square also features the Pompei Palace, which is a replica of Verona’s Pompei Palace. The Museum Barberini is a rebuilt version of the original Barberini Palace.

The square’s historic buildings were damaged during World War II bombing raids. The City Palace was then torn down in the 1960s. The City Palace has since been partially reconstructed as the State Parliament of Brandenburg (Landtag of Brandenburg). The reconstruction features a historic facade that matches the old City Palace. The new building houses Brandenburg’s parliament and has a modern interior.

The rebuilt pedestrian-only Old Market Square is a popular site for photos of the square’s impressive architecture.