Located in north eastern Germany, The major cities include Potsdam, Brandenburg, Cottbus, and Frankfurt-an-der-Ober. Geographically Berlin lies within this area, but is governed separately.
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Brandenburg can be counted among the biggest federal states of Germany with a total area of 29.476 km 2 and with a maximum distance from north to south of 244 km and from west to east of 291 km. At the same time, it is the biggest state of former East Germany. One special feature about
Brandenburg is its border to Poland, which is the longest external border with a total length of approximately 250 km.
Culture in the federal state
Brandenburg, everybody immediately thinks of
Castle Sanssoucis, the
State Theatre Cottbus,
Castle Rheinsberg, or
the cloister ruin Chorin. But there is more to discover, about
350 museums,
160 public libraries, many memorials,
orchestras and choirs, about 23,000 floor monuments and more than
10,000 historical monuments. Furthermore there are
500 castles and manor houses, art houses, cultural centres, municipal theatres and galleries.
Brandenburgâs culture is versatile and steeped in history.
Countless
crystal-clear lakes and waterways, broad expanses of countryside, verdant tree-lined roads, fruit orchards and
unspoilt natural scenery are the hallmarks of the region. Its sleepy villages and cultural attractions are of great historical significance.
In the last 300 years, the former garrison town of
Potsdam has become one of Europe's most magnificent royal cities. Frederick II, the King of Prussia, along with his predecessors and descendants, commissioned countless baroque buildings in and around Potsdam, as well as 17 stately homes and palaces set in lush parkland. Nowadays, visitors are attracted to Brandenburg's regional capital by the Potsdam biosphere, Bornstedt Crown Estate and Babelsberg Film Park, as well as its palaces and parks.
The state of Brandenburg was named after the town of
Brandenburg an der Havel, which is notable in several respects, for being the oldest town in the state and for its remarkable setting, surrounded by the rivers and lakes of the Havel region. Its three historical districts, the old town, the new town and the cathedral district, contain a wealth of architectural monuments, not to mention its churches, town hall and the gates and towers of its town walls.
Located at the junction of major European trading routes,
Frankfurt an der Oder has had a colourful history. The town boasts one of the largest north German brick Gothic hall churches and one of the oldest medieval town halls in North Germany with magnificent gables dating from the 14th and 15th centuries. The 18th century German novelist and playwright, Heinrich von Kleist is the town's most famous son.
Cottbus is the second largest town in Brandenburg and the urban centre of the
Spree Forest. It was the heart of the former East Germany's coal mining and energy production industries, but its roots go back to the 12th century.
Branitz Park, a notable 19th century park created by the Prince of Pueckler-Muskau, is to be found here. The historical old quarter, contains a lovingly reconstructed market square and magnificent town houses with baroque gabled fronts plus the State Theatre with its lovely art nouveau facade.
