300th Birthday of King Frederick the Great
On the occasion of the 300th birthday anniversary of King Frederick the Great next year, Potsdam - the city of palaces - will be in the centre of action. Nowhere else in Germany have the Prussian Kings left behind such tremendous marks than on Potsdam, today’s Federal State Capital of Brandenburg. They created an artistic masterpiece comprising twelve beautiful palaces and three magnificently arranged garden landscapes of architectural and horticultural variety idyllically nestled in the many woods and scenic lakes of the River Havel. Vast parts of Potsdam have been declared UNESCO World Cultural Heritage in 1990.
Potsdam’s star attraction in 2012, however, will not be Frederick’s summer residence, the Sanssouci Palace, but the significantly larger “New Palace”. From 28th April to 28th October it will accommodate the majestic exhibition “Friederisiko“, organised by the Prussian Palaces and Gardens Foundation Berlin-Brandenburg. But that is not all. There are going to be even more cultural events marking the grand anniversary.
On the 24th of January, King Frederick’s birthday, the oldest Film Museum of Potsdam will open its doors for the exhibition “Der falsche Fritz – Friedrich II. in Filmen“ (“The false Fritz – Frederick II starring in films”) running until 30th December 2012. Music was Frederick’s passion and this aspect will be incorporated into the 2012 programme of the Music Festival Potsdam Sanssouci titled “Friedrich der Große, die Musik und Europa” (9th - 24th June 2012). In July, the House of the Brandenburg-Prussian History at Potsdam’s New Market features an exhibition offering insight into the cultivation of the potato under the Prussian King Frederick the Great and other related topics. The German title of the exhibition is “König & Kartoffel. Friedrich der Große und die preußischen Tartuffoli.“ (“The King & the Potatoe. Frederick the Great and the Prussian “Tartuffoli‘‘- the name given to the potato in Italy) (20th July - 28th October 2012). Starting in August, the Potsdam Museum, which is located inside the newly renovated and rebuilt Old Townhall (“Altes Rathaus”), documents the King’s influence on the town of Potsdam, paying tribute with the exhibition “Friedrich und Potsdam. Die Erfindung einer Stadt“ (“Frederick and Potsdam – Inventing a City“) (20th August - 4th December 2012). Another promising event will be the baroque re-enactment of Potsdam´s royal court festivals (“Höfische Festspiele Potsdam”) taking place at the New Palace´s Court of Honour (“Ehrenhof”) between 19th July and 22nd July 2012.
More information and booking:
Group Travel Office of the Potsdam Tourismus Service, Am Neuen Markt 1, 14467 Potsdam; phone +49(0)331/27558899; online at www.gruppenreisen-in-potsdam.de
Press inquiries: Birgit Kunkel & Regina Zibell, Potsdam Tourismus Service of the TMB, Am Neuen Markt 1, 14467 Potsdam, Phone +49(0)331/27558-252, Fax +49(0)331/27558-79, e-mail: kunkel@potsdamtourismus.de, zibell@potsdamtourismus.de , www.potsdamtourismus.de
