City Palace, Potsdam Palace

Address: City Palace (Stadtschloss), Alter Markt / City centre, Potsdam, Brandenburg, Germany

The City Palace (Stadtschloss) in Potsdam is a historic palace on the Alter Markt that was reconstructed in the 21st century and now serves as the seat of the Landtag of Brandenburg. The project reinstated the palace’s historic street façades while accommodating contemporary parliamentary functions inside.

Visitors encounter restored baroque and classical façades on the square and can access public exhibition areas and, on occasion, guided visits relating to the building’s history and current role as a regional parliament. The ensemble reconnects Potsdam’s principal square with its historic palace silhouette.

The original palace had 17th- and 18th-century origins and served as a royal and municipal landmark before suffering wartime damage and later demolition in the mid-20th century; the late 20th and early 21st century programme led to a reconstruction combining historical external appearance with new internal layouts for the Landtag. The rebuilt complex reopened in the 2010s and now functions as a working parliamentary building.

The palace stands on the Alter Markt in central Potsdam, adjacent to the Nikolaikirche and within the historic core of the city, roughly southwest of central Berlin and easily reached from Potsdam’s train connections.

• Reconstruction and use: Extensively reconstructed in the early 21st century, the building now houses the Landtag of Brandenburg and combines historic exterior façades with a modern interior.

What to See#

• Historic façades: The reconstructed historic façades that restore the palace silhouette on the Alter Markt, providing the historic street frontage.
• Parliament chamber: The Landtag chamber and modern interior spaces that serve as the Parliament of the State of Brandenburg.
• Public and exhibition spaces: Public areas and exhibition spaces within the building that present the palace’s history and its recent reconstruction to visitors.

Take the Berlin S-Bahn S7 (or regional trains) to Potsdam Hauptbahnhof. From Potsdam Hauptbahnhof it’s a short walk into the city centre to the Stadtschloss/Alter Markt area-approximately 1-1.5 km, about 15-20 minutes on foot.

By car Potsdam lies southwest of Berlin (roughly 25-30 km from central Berlin); allow about 30-40 minutes via the A115/B2 depending on traffic.

• Visit early on a weekday morning to avoid the larger tour groups that gather later in the day and to get unobstructed photos of the façades and Alter Markt surroundings.
• Arrive by Potsdam public transport (Potsdam Hauptbahnhof is a short walk and several tram lines serve the city centre) rather than driving-central parking is limited and the palace sits in the pedestrianised Old Market area.
• Don't just photograph the exterior: spend time walking the adjoining Alter Markt and the squares around the Nikolaikirche to appreciate the rebuilt townscape and different vantage points most passers-by miss.