Potsdam Dutch Quarter

Friedrich Wilhelm I admired Dutch building and craftsmanship and had this quarter constructed between 1733 and 1742 to a Dutch design by Jan Bouman, one hundred and thirty-four red brick houses with stepped and curved gables in four blocks around a crossing, intended to attract Dutch artisans to Potsdam. Relatively few came, and the houses were largely occupied by soldiers and local craftsmen instead. It is the largest ensemble of Dutch-style buildings outside the Netherlands. The quarter decayed badly in the twentieth century and was restored from the 1990s; it now holds small shops, cafes and galleries.

What you actually see

• The 134 houses - red brick with Dutch gables in four blocks.
• The failed recruitment - a quarter built for craftsmen who largely did not come.
• The largest such ensemble - the biggest Dutch-style group outside the Netherlands.
• The small businesses - shops, cafes and galleries in the restored houses.

When to go

April to October; the quarter is compact and walked in an hour. Tulip and pottery markets are held there in spring and autumn. Shops close Sundays.

Honest expectations

The quarter is small and now largely retail. Most houses are private. It is one part of a Potsdam visit rather than a destination on its own.

Nearby

Sanssouci lies west; Babelsberg is east.