Complete Guide to Berlin NightlifePotsdamer Platz in the heart of Berlin is a square brimming with skyscrapers, stores, restaurants, hotels and sights.
Since its reconstruction after the reunification of Germany, the square has become a major transportation hub and a vibrant nightlife district.
In this guide, you will learn all you need to know before visiting Potsdamer Platz. This includes the attractions, history and how to get there.
Let's go!
Things to Do at Potsdamer Platz
Potsdamer Platz is more than just a square. Basically, the term is used to describe the entire lively area, which combines the site's rich history with its new architecture and Berlin diversity, and has quite a few things in store.
See below some of the highlights at Potsdamer Platz:
1. Shopping, shopping, shopping
Potsdamer Platz is a mecca for shopping fans and offers excellent shopping opportunities. With the popular shopping center Mall of Berlin at Leipziger Platz, consisting of about 270 stores and boutiques, and the Potsdamer Platz Arkaden, the square has no less than two large shopping centers.
In addition, there are plenty of stores around the square as well as the impressive Sony Center. Whether fashion, cosmetics, technology or accessories, everyone will find what they are looking for at Potsdamer Platz.
2. Restaurants & Entertainment
Needless to say, the nightlife district also attracts visitors with a variety of gastronomic offerings. You will find a colorful mix of exquisite restaurants, hip cafes and bars, but also food trucks offering street food on Varian Fry Street on weekdays from 11:30 to 18:00.
Of course, the aforementioned shopping centers with their own food courts also offer a great selection of delicacies.
Entertainment is provided by a theater, the large CinemaxX cinema, the Casino Spielbank Berlin and the impressive musical theater Stage Theater am Potsdamer Platz, among others.
3. Kohlhoff Tower
At Kohlhoff Tower, you can experience a 360-degree view of the German capital from the Panoramapunkt Potsdamer Platz viewing platform.
On the 24th floor of the modern skyscraper, completed in 1999, a permanent open-air exhibition on the history of the square awaits you, taking you into the past and present of Potsdamer Platz. Numerous photographs and an audio guide will help you visualize everything in detail.
Furthermore, there is a panorama café with a sun terrace, which is designed in the purist style of the 1930s. In addition to coffee and cake, it offers all kinds of snacks and, above all, an amazing view of Berlin.
4. Remains of Berlin Wall
Segments of the Berlin Wall were subsequently put up again in front of the Potsdamer Platz train station. Due to the architectural contrast, they are a very popular photo spot.
When you are here, be sure to look at the ground. There you can see the former course of the Hinterland wall, which at that time stretched across the entire square, by means of a metal strip embedded in the ground.
- Tip: In front of the Bundes Bahn Tower there is a huge "QR Cobble" embedded in the ground. Scan this digital cobble with your cell phone and embark on an exciting interactive journey through time with historical panoramic images.
5. More Attractions
On the southern side of the square is the Kulturforum with the Philharmonic Hall, the State Library, the Gemäldegalerie, the Kunstgewerbemuseum (Museum of Decorative Arts), the Musikinstrumentenmuseum (Museum of Musical Instruments) and the Neue Nationalgalerie (New National Gallery).
Families traveling with children, on the other hand, can enjoy some family fun at the LEGOLAND® Discovery Centre Berlin or visit the German Spy Museum at Leipziger Platz.
The Museum of Film and Television is also located at Potsdamer Platz.
6. Events at Potsdamer Platz
Potsdamer Platz is the main venue for several popular Berlin events. These include the famous Berlinale Film Festival, which attracts filmgoers from all over the world every February.
Another popular event takes place during the cold season, when Potsdamer Platz is transformed into a large Winter World for about two months. Young and old alike then enjoy Europe's largest mobile toboggan run, a children's railroad, open-air ice skating, curling and an après-ski hut. Of course, there is also a Christmas market.
How to get to Potsdamer Platz in Berlin?
- From Alexanderplatz: Go seven stops on the U-Bahn U2 to "S+U Potsdamer Platz" station.
- Parking: If you are arriving by car, you can park in the parking garage in the Potsdamer Platz Arkaden or the SonyCenter parking garage.
FAQ about the Potsdamer Platz in Berlin
Today, the historic square Potsdamer Platz is an urban center and popular nightlife district that is always bustling with activity.
In addition to futuristic skyscrapers and modern architecture, it offers a wealth of attractions, including the Daimler Chrysler Quarter, the Sony Center, the LEGOLAND® Discovery Centre Berlin, the Beisheim Center at the Lenné Triangle, the Potsdamer Platz Arkaden, the Deutsche Bahn Tower and the Kohlhoff Tower with the Potsdamer Platz Panorama Point.
There is also a wide selection of restaurants, cafes and bars, several museums, a theater, a cinema and a casino. The square also serves as a venue for popular events such as the Biennale and Winter World.
From Alexanderplatz, take the U2 subway and go seven stops to the "S+U Potsdamer Platz" station.
Potsdamer Platz is located in the heart of Berlin, in the Berlin districts of Mitte and Tiergarten. The address is: Potsdamer Platz 1, 10785 Berlin
History & Facts about Potsdamer Platz
The beginnings of Potsdamer Platz date back to the 18th century, when the Potsdamer Tor ("Potsdamer Gate") stood here on the Berlin-Potsdamer Chaussee. In the Golden Twenties, the square developed into a transportation hub. In 1924, the first traffic light system on the European continent stood here, directing the fast-moving traffic. Berlin's cultural elite met in the cafés and restaurants surrounding the square.
The bombings during the Second World War devastated the Potsdamer Platz. After the Allied occupation of the city, the demarcation lines between the Soviet, British and American sectors met here. Later, the Berlin Wall divided this "three-country corner", which fell into a slumber for more than 40 years.
After reunification, the largest construction site in Europe was built on the empty space crisscrossed by the Berlin Wall. Within a few years, an urban center emerged from a void. Today, Potsdamer Platz is a popular meeting place for Berliners and people from all over the world.
Contact & Map
- Address: Potsdamer Platz 1, 10785 Berlin
- Public Transport: U2 to "Potsdamer Platz"
- Website: PotsdamerPlatz
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