:For the Potsdam Conference, see: Potsdam Conference. Potsdam [ˈpɔtsdam] is the capital city of the federal state of Brandenburg in Germany. It is situated on the Havel River, southwest of Berlin. It is a part of the Metropolitan area Berlin/Brandenburg.
Potsdam is known as the former residence of the Prussian kings until 1918. The city features a series of interconnected lakes and unique cultural landscapes, in particular the parks and palaces of Sanssouci, the largest World Heritage Sites in Germany.
The Potsdam district of Babelsberg also serves as one of the leading centers of European film production. The Filmstudio Babelsberg has significant historical value as the oldest large-scale film studio in the world. The Deutsches Filmorchester Babelsberg frequently records soundtracks for domestic and foreign-based film productions.
The city developed into a center of science in Germany beginning in the 19th century. Today there are 3 public colleges and more than 30 research-institutes in Potsdam.
