History

At the beginning of the 19th century, there was little sign of the life that now abounds on Potsdamer Platz. Instead of honking cars and passing pedestrians, the area was home to a green space designed by Karl Friedrich Schinkel: the so-called "Platz vor dem Potsdamer Thor."

In 1838, the area suddenly awoke from its slumber: the new long-distance train station not only catapulted the square into the center of Berlin, it became one of the most important transportation hubs in Europe.

As early as 1890, more than 1.4 million passengers boarded trains at Potsdamer Platz every year. The square also exuded this flair through the innumerable restaurants, pubs and cafés that opened up around it. Luxury hotels like the "Esplanade" attracted wealthy guests. Bankers, businessmen and artists settled in the neighborhood. They transformed the streets into promenades where people were eager to see and be seen.

After the First World War, Berlin is reborn as an amusement park: While the economic crisis looms on the horizon, Berliners want to forget the past and not think about what tomorrow will bring.

Those who can afford it dance the Charleston and drink champagne in the evenings. The revelers buzz their way to Potsdamer Platz, where the heart of the city beats: 26 streetcar and five bus lines stop here, and some 20,000 cars cross the square every day.

In 1924, Europe's first traffic lights were inaugurated at the intersection, flashing into the sky as a symbol of the pulsating metropolis.

The "Haus Vaterland" on Potsdamer Platz was an amusement temple with more than ten restaurants, inviting guests to take a gourmet trip around the world: In Café Grinzinger, people met for Sachertorte, in the Wild West Bar waiters swung lassos. The variety program at the "Rheinterrassen" was particularly spectacular, with a thunderstorm conjured up in the hall every evening - with flashes of electric light and rain from water pipes.

After the Second World War, all that remained of the frenzy of the Roaring Twenties was a hangover: Potsdamer Platz was almost completely destroyed, with only the Weinhaus Huth remaining.

In the post-war years, the square initially formed the tri-border area between the Soviet, British and American sectors. The black market flourished here: people traded what they had left for cigarettes and alcohol.

With the introduction of the Deutschmark in the western sectors and the beginning of the Berlin Blockade in June 1948, the picture changed. On August 21, 1948, the border between the Soviet sector and the adjacent western sectors was first marked with paint on the asphalt. Meanwhile, half-hearted attempts to rebuild the magnificent buildings around the square failed: The former center deteriorated into a no-man's land with an uncertain future.

With the construction of the Wall in 1961, which divided the square, Potsdamer Platz lost its status as a central square: where life once raged was now, for 28 long years, Berlin's widest "Todesstreifen" (Death Strip).

The traffic hub had become an abandoned wasteland. The ruins on the western side of the Wall were acquired by the Berlin Senate and gradually demolished, including Haus Vaterland, the Prinz-Albrecht-Palais and the former Ethnological Museum. The planned city highway also never saw the light of day: only after the fall of the Wall was it constructed instead as the Tiergarten Tunnel.

What remains of the square in these years is wasteland - only occasionally do a few tourists cast a glance eastward over the Wall.

With the fall of the Wall, Potsdamer Platz suddenly found itself back in the heart of the city. Overnight, the site comes to life with a big bang: in 1990, rock music's biggest concert to date plays between the remains of the Wall - the band Pink Floyd performs their album "The Wall."

The spirit of optimism of the post-reunification era transforms Potsdamer Platz into a place of grandeur: here, Berlin's future grows into the sky, and Europe's largest inner-city construction site grows on the ground

Companies such as Sony, Daimler and Deutsche Bahn settle in, and luxury hotels, the Spielbank Berlin casino and palatial movie theater CinemaxX move in next door. Seven prominent architects, including Hans Kollhoff and Richard Rogers, worked together on the construction concept. Their idea of a "high-rise city" was received with mixed enthusiasm among Berliners. For a long time, people struggled to determine how Berlin's center should present itself to the world.

The Sony Center, with its spectacular roof structure designed by Helmut Jahn, was finally built in the northwest. To the south stretches the Potsdamer Platz district, in the center of which today's Atrium Tower by Renzo Piano rises into the sky.

Potsdamer Platz continues to reinvent itself today. In its high-rises, renowned companies and start-ups from all over the world are working on visions for tomorrow.

By 2028, the area is set to become even greener - in addition to lush planting, there are plans for more space for cyclists and pedestrians. As the main venue for the Berlinale, the square has also been a magnet for the cultural set since 2000. Each February, film stars wave from the red carpet, and audiences enjoy world and European premieres.

A diverse cultural program is also offered by the institutions located in the immediate vicinity of the square. The Kulturforum am Tiergarten brings together museums, libraries and concert halls side by side. At the Philharmonie, you can experience classical music concerts, while the Neue Nationalgalerie, with its iconic glass building by Mies van der Rohe, brings world-class artists from around the world to Berlin.

But Potsdamer Platz feels international and fast-paced all year round - and not just because of the busy traffic: every day, the area attracts 110,000 visitors from Berlin, Germany and abroad. They come for the history and stay for dinner, shopping and the wide-ranging experiences made possible by the cinemas, exhibitions and entertainment that Potsdamer Platz and its surroundings have to offer.

Potsdamer Platz is back and shining like never before: as a landmark, meeting point and historically rooted place that has transformed from a wasteland to a one-stop attraction in the heart of Berlin.

And here’s a great reason to celebrate: Potsdamer Platz Festival took place from September 15-16, 2023, with a jam-packed program with music, food and drink specials, events and activities for everyone. It's a chance to commemorate the city's history, but also to discover what the future holds in store for Potsdamer Platz.

Celebrating the present and leading the way into the future: That is the vision for the sustainable neighborhood development around Potsdamer Platz. Here, more than 43,000 square meters are being transformed into a pedestrian-friendly hub that gives visitors a sense of calm in the midst of the big city. A spacious pedestrian zone, lined with trees, and generously laid-out green public squares will create a green community quarter away from the hustle and bustle.

A lively place in the middle of the city with a lot to offer, inviting people to discover common ground and learn from each other: In workshops, yoga classes, meetups and regular events, employees, visitors and residents can connect. The goal is to turn Potsdamer Platz into a social meeting place: for working, for living, for a short time-out, and to experience everything that makes the capital city what it is.

The design of the public space here focuses not only on quality of life, but also on sustainability. Eco-friendly design, rainwater harvesting and energy-efficient lighting are just a few of the measures aimed at establishing environmental values as part of the Potsdamer Platz experience.