Potsdamer Platz is a public square and traffic intersection in the center of Berlin, Germany, lying about 1 km (1,100 yd) south of the Brandenburg Gate and the Reichstag, and close to the southeast corner of the Tiergarten park. It is named after the city of Potsdam, some 25 km (16 mi) to the south west, and marks the point where the old road from Potsdam passed through the city wall of Berlin at the Potsdam Gate. Initially, the open area near the city gate was used for military drills and parades. In the 19th into the 20th century, it developed from an intersection of suburban thoroughfares into the most bustling traffic intersection in Europe. The area was totally destroyed during World War II and then left desolate during the Cold War era when the Berlin Wall bisected its location. Since German reunification, Potsdamer Platz has been the site of major redevelopment projects.
Potsdamer Platz in 2016
2006
The Sony Center, 2004
Proposed design by Karl Friedrich Schinkel for Potsdamer Platz and Leipziger Platz
A square is an open public space used for various activities. Squares are not necessarily a true geometric square. Most squares are hardscapes suitable for open markets, concerts, political rallies, and other events that require firm ground.
Piazza della Signoria, in Florence, Italy, a historic example of a traditional public square
Announcement of the establishment of the State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs on Congress Square in 1918
The Saint Peter's Square is the heart of the Greek city of Argos.
Fountain in People's Square in Shanghai, China