Palaces and Parks of Potsdam and Berlin

The Palaces and Parks of Potsdam and Berlin form a group of palace complexes and landscaped gardens in the Havelland region around Potsdam and Berlin. Recognised as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1990, it stands as an example of landscape design shaped by Prussian state ideas and efforts of emancipation. The site initially covered 500 hectares with 150 construction projects built between 1730 and 1916. The World Heritage Site has since expanded to 2,064 hectares through extensions in 1992 and 1999. It includes notable places such as the Palace and Park of Sanssouci, the Neuer Garten with Marmorpalais and Schloss Cecilienhof, and Park Babelsberg with Schloss Babelsberg. Other key sites are Schloss Glienicke and Park Klein-Glienicke, Pfaueninsel, and the Heilandskirche in Sacrow. Visitors find a variety of landscapes and structures, from the historic Sanssouci and its surrounding parks to the Russian colony of Alexandrowka log houses. The Pfingstberg and its Belvedere offer elevated views, while the Observatory in Babelsberg provides a glimpse into astronomical history. The site also includes the Village of Bornstedt, the Königswald forest, and the southern shore of Jungfernsee.