Potsdam, Germany

Nauener Tor, Potsdam

The Nauener Tor, one of Potsdam’s most distinctive landmarks. Despite looking like the entrance to a medieval castle, it was actually built in 1755 in a Neo‑Gothic style—making it one of the earliest examples of Gothic Revival architecture in continental Europe.

I took the tram from the main railway station in Potsdam to the Dutch Quarter where I wandered around the shops and took a few photos like the Nauener Tor above.

The gate features twin round towers, crenellated battlements, and a pointed central archway that gives it that fairytale‑fortress appearance. It once formed part of the city’s defensive ring, but today it stands as a charming architectural accent at the edge of the Dutch Quarter. The area around it is lively, filled with cafés, small shops, and streets that lead directly into Potsdam’s historic center.

Church of St Peter and Paul
Potsdam

Next, I took the bus to see the place (Cecilienhof Palace) where the allied leaders met for the postwar Potsdam Conference in 1945.

Bus stop Cecilienhof Palace

The building where the World War II Allied leaders met in Potsdam is Cecilienhof Palace, a Tudor‑style residence in the Neuer Garten. It was here, from 17 July to 2 August 1945, that Churchill (later Attlee), Truman, and Stalin convened for the Potsdam Conference, shaping the postwar order. Cecilienhof was built between 1914 and 1917 for Crown Prince Wilhelm and Crown Princess Cecilie, designed by architect Paul Schultze‑Naumburg in an English country‑house style, with 180 rooms arranged around five courtyards.