Potsdam
Am Havelblick 4, 14473 Potsdam, Deutschland
Old State Parliament Building Brandenburg | Photos & History
The Old State Parliament Building Brandenburg on Brauhausberg in Potsdam is a place where nearly a century of German and Brandenburg history overlaps. Official sources describe the building as a construction in a prominent location, whose external shape and function have changed multiple times. Therefore, those searching for images, photos, or the term Kremlin today do not end up at an ordinary administrative building, but at a monument with military, archival, party-political, and parliamentary past. Brauhausberg itself is considered a promising location overlooking the city; the tourism site explicitly emphasizes the view over Potsdam, parks, and gardens. At the same time, the area is envisioned as a future university campus in 2026, so that past and future stand side by side. ([landtag.brandenburg.de](https://www.landtag.brandenburg.de/de/geschichte_des_ehemaligen_landtagsgebaeudes_auf_dem_brauhausberg/7672))
Images and Photos from Brauhausberg
The search for images and photos of the Old State Parliament Building Brandenburg is so popular because the location has an immediate visual impact. Brauhausberg is not a flat city square, but an elevated point above Potsdam, from which the city with its parks and gardens opens up widely. This topographical advantage shapes the perception of the building to this day. In photos, one sees not just a facade, but a silhouette composed of the historic war school, later modifications, and the consequences of war and political use. The official tourism site explicitly describes the view from Brauhausberg as breathtaking, making it clear why the location is particularly relevant for image and photo motif searches. ([potsdamtourismus.de](https://www.potsdamtourismus.de/poi/brauhausberg))
Additionally, the architecture of the house has visibly changed over time. The official history of the parliament on Brauhausberg explains that the building changed its external shape multiple times over a hundred years. The tower is also part of this visual history: According to the Potsdam tourism site, 14 meters of the playful tower structure disappeared over the course of history. Such details make the building exciting for photography enthusiasts, as they show that the place is not only aesthetically pleasing but also historically legible. Those searching for old state parliament building potsdam or state parliament building brandenburg often refer to this contrast between imposing effect, damaged substance, and historical depth. The building tells at a glance that it was never just a neutral structure, but a politically charged place with many layers. ([potsdamtourismus.de](https://www.potsdamtourismus.de/poi/brauhausberg))
History of the Old State Parliament Building in Potsdam
The history begins on April 1, 1899, with the construction of a new war school on Brauhausberg. Kaiser Wilhelm II consciously chose the location, also considering the memory of the fortifications of 1813. For the architectural execution, he specified a mix of English country house style, half-timbering, whitewashed fields, and Renaissance motifs. The Porta Stupa in Verona served as a model for the main entrance, and the Cologne architect Franz Schwechten implemented the project. A 64-meter-high tower defined the image of the house. Completion took place in 1902, and the building initially served for the training of officer candidates from the entire army. This early phase is important because it explains the military origin that continues to shape the perception of the building to this day. ([landtag.brandenburg.de](https://www.landtag.brandenburg.de/de/geschichte_des_ehemaligen_landtagsgebaeudes_auf_dem_brauhausberg/7672))
After World War I, the war school was used as a battalion collection point before it was converted into a Reichsarchiv due to the Versailles Treaty. Later, the Army Archive took over the use, and the facility continued to grow. The official historical presentation points to the expansion of 1935 and the bombing raid by the Royal Air Force on April 14, 1945, which turned large parts of Brauhausberg into a rubble field. The magazine building was completely destroyed, the tower and one wing of the main building were damaged, and more than half of the accumulated file stock of the Army Archive was lost. For the history of the site, this is a central turning point, as the material rupture of 1945 significantly determined the later handling of the building. ([landtag.brandenburg.de](https://www.landtag.brandenburg.de/de/geschichte_des_ehemaligen_landtagsgebaeudes_auf_dem_brauhausberg/7672))
In the post-war period, the building was initially handed over to the government of Brandenburg for the Ministry of Finance in 1948. Shortly thereafter, it fell to the state association of the SED, which used it for its administration; from 1952, it housed the SED district leaderships for Potsdam, Frankfurt (Oder), and Cottbus, as well as later the district leadership Potsdam. This is where the well-known nickname Kremlin originates. After German reunification, Brandenburg parliamentarians decided on January 16, 1991, to use the property as a parliamentary building, and the first plenary session on Brauhausberg took place on September 25, 1991. After more than 20 years of parliamentary use, the parliament moved to the newly built city palace at the Old Market. Another recent turning point is the fire on August 5, 2023, which significantly damaged the former parliament again. This made it clear that the building is not only historically significant but remains a sensitive place of memory to this day. ([landtag.brandenburg.de](https://www.landtag.brandenburg.de/de/geschichte_des_ehemaligen_landtagsgebaeudes_auf_dem_brauhausberg/7672))
Architecture, Tower, and Monument Character
Architecturally, the Old State Parliament Building Brandenburg is a construction that carries different epochs within it, functioning almost like a historical layered image. Its first form as a war school already combined representative effect with military strictness. The official Potsdam city site describes the facility as built in the style of English country houses and Lower Saxon Renaissance, while the parliament itself emphasizes the Renaissance motifs and the monumental tower. The fact that the tower was shortened over time and the structure was changed multiple times in 1937 and after 1945 shows how strongly architecture here was shaped by political and functional upheavals. Nevertheless, the building remains legible as a landmark, precisely because its history has not been smoothed over but has remained visible. For photos and image searches, this ambiguity is attractive. The house appears both representative, robust, and vulnerable. ([landtag.brandenburg.de](https://www.landtag.brandenburg.de/de/geschichte_des_ehemaligen_landtagsgebaeudes_auf_dem_brauhausberg/7672))
The monument character is also emphasized in current public representations. The city of Potsdam explicitly points out today that the facade is under historical protection. At the same time, it became clear in the planning documents for Brauhausberg that the listed building of the former Brandenburg State Parliament is to be integrated into a new usage concept. This is particularly interesting from an urban planning perspective because the building is not treated as an isolated museum object but as part of a larger ensemble with scientific and public perspective. Those interested in old state parliament building potsdam or brauhausberg potsdam often seek exactly this connection between architecture, cityscape, and memory. Therefore, the place is not only historically important but also serves as an urban symbol: It shows how a building has evolved from military representation to party seat and parliament to a new public future. ([potsdam.de](https://www.potsdam.de/de/content/old-market-square-and-friendship-island))
Access, Location, and Parking at Brauhausberg
The official address of the location is Am Havelblick 4, 14473 Potsdam, and the tourism site assigns the place to Brauhausberg. The urban classification also emphasizes that Brauhausberg is located south of Potsdam Central Station. This is important for visitors because the building is thus situated in an area that can be easily connected with a city walk through the southern downtown. The Potsdam tourism site even offers its own travel options for Brauhausberg by car and public transport, which shows that despite its current transitional situation, the place continues to be understood as a destination in the urban space. For those searching for directions to brauhausberg potsdam or am havelblick 4 potsdam, these are the most important orientation data. ([potsdamtourismus.de](https://www.potsdamtourismus.de/poi/brauhausberg))
When it comes to parking, caution is advised, as current official sources do not designate a classic visitor parking lot for the former state parliament building like at an event arena. Instead, recent municipal and ministerial documents focus on the traffic connection of the entire Brauhausberg. In the public participation for the university campus, questions about traffic connections, construction site traffic, sight axes, and building heights were explicitly discussed. This shows: The accessibility of the location is part of an ongoing planning process and not a completed visitor product. Therefore, those searching for parking brauhausberg potsdam should understand the place more as an urban development space and combine their arrival with the available public transport and car information from the tourism site. For a classic event location, there is currently significantly less standardized parking information than for a regular event venue. ([potsdam.de](https://www.potsdam.de/de/028-universitaetscampus-auf-dem-brauhausberg-svv-beschliesst-start-des-bebauungsplanverfahrens))
Fire, Vacancy, and New Campus Planning
A central chapter of recent history is the fire on August 5, 2023. The Potsdam fire department was alerted in the afternoon to a building fire in the Templiner Vorstadt; in the former parliament on Brauhausberg, among other things, the side wing with the former plenary hall burned. The municipal announcement describes that the fire was brought under control after the situation on site was confirmed. For the building, this was a severe blow, as the historical substance was damaged again, and the already fragile state of the house came into focus. Those searching for old state parliament building brandenburg photos often also come across images of a damaged, partially decayed place. This is not a pleasant but a real facet of the site's history. ([potsdam.de](https://www.potsdam.de/de/339-feuer-im-ehemaligen-landtag-auf-dem-brauhausberg-unter-kontrolle?utm_source=openai))
Since early 2026, the future use has been strongly focused on science and urban development. On January 21, 2026, the Potsdam city council decided to start the development plan procedure for the university campus Brauhausberg. The city explicitly stated that the listed building of the former Brandenburg State Parliament is to be integrated into the campus and sustainably used publicly. The Brandenburg Ministry of Science formulated shortly thereafter that student life should thrive there in the future and that work would be done together on a future-oriented university campus. The planning is therefore not just abstract ideas but an ongoing process with a clear public orientation. For the significance of the place, this means: The building is not frozen in the past but is part of a new, socially and scientifically shaped future. ([potsdam.de](https://www.potsdam.de/de/028-universitaetscampus-auf-dem-brauhausberg-svv-beschliesst-start-des-bebauungsplanverfahrens))
How concretely this future is envisioned is also shown by the public participation in February 2026. According to the Potsdam city administration, 182 responses were received regarding the presented urban planning variants, including numerous comments on traffic, visibility, building heights, and nature and species protection. The Ministry of Science, Research, and Culture also reported on three urban planning variants presented as part of the planning process, each with 150 places for student housing in the variants. These details show that the Brauhausberg location is not simply to be renovated but is being rethought as a complex urban space. Brauhausberg is thus becoming a place of public debate again, just not in the sense of the parliament, but in terms of urban development, science, and cultural use. ([potsdam.de](https://www.potsdam.de/de/084-universitaetscampus-brauhausberg-mehr-als-180-rueckmeldungen-zu-den-vorgestellten?utm_source=openai))
Around the Location: Views, Neighborhood, and Photo Spots
Anyone wishing to visit or photograph the Old State Parliament Building Brandenburg should consider the location within the larger Potsdam urban area. The tourism site for Brauhausberg refers to numerous nearby destinations, including the Barberini Museum, the Film Museum Potsdam, the Nikolaikirche, the Brandenburg Museum in the Kutschstall, the Nikolaisaal, the Dutch Quarter, and the Brandenburg Gate. This selection already shows how well Brauhausberg can be combined with a classic city visit. The place is not isolated but in a culturally and historically dense zone where political history, museum landscape, and old town lie closely together. For people searching for images of old state parliament building brandenburg or old state parliament building potsdam, this context is important because the photo motifs can often be combined with other Potsdam landmarks. ([potsdamtourismus.de](https://www.potsdamtourismus.de/poi/brauhausberg))
In the end, it is precisely the complexity that makes the location appealing. The building is not only a former parliament and not just a former war school, but a place where repurposing, destruction, political symbols, and urban future continually overlap. The current planning phase gives Brauhausberg renewed public attention, while the historical facade and the location above the city continue to possess strong visual appeal. Therefore, search terms like old state parliament building brandenburg photos, brauhausberg potsdam, or monument brauhausberg work so well: They do not describe a single building in the narrower sense but a place where Potsdam's history becomes visible in a compact space. Those looking at the location today see not only the past but also the question of how a historically significant place can be transformed into an open, contemporary use. ([potsdam.de](https://www.potsdam.de/de/content/old-market-square-and-friendship-island))
Sources:
- State Parliament Brandenburg - History of the former State Parliament Building on Brauhausberg ([landtag.brandenburg.de](https://www.landtag.brandenburg.de/de/geschichte_des_ehemaligen_landtagsgebaeudes_auf_dem_brauhausberg/7672))
- State Parliament Brandenburg - Directions, Access, and Opening Hours ([landtag.brandenburg.de](https://www.landtag.brandenburg.de/de/landtag_kennenlernen/gebaeude_und_verwaltung/anfahrt_zugang_und_oeffnungszeiten/25863))
- Potsdam Tourism - Brauhausberg ([potsdamtourismus.de](https://www.potsdamtourismus.de/poi/brauhausberg))
- State Capital Potsdam - Old Market Square and Friendship Island ([potsdam.de](https://www.potsdam.de/de/content/old-market-square-and-friendship-island))
- State Capital Potsdam - University Campus on Brauhausberg ([potsdam.de](https://www.potsdam.de/de/028-universitaetscampus-auf-dem-brauhausberg-svv-beschliesst-start-des-bebauungsplanverfahrens))
- Ministry of Science, Research and Culture - Task Force Brauhausberg ([mwfk.brandenburg.de](https://mwfk.brandenburg.de/mwfk/de/service/pressemitteilungen/ansicht/~25-02-2026-task-force-brauhausberg))
- State Capital Potsdam - Fire in the former Parliament on Brauhausberg under Control ([potsdam.de](https://www.potsdam.de/de/339-feuer-im-ehemaligen-landtag-auf-dem-brauhausberg-unter-kontrolle?utm_source=openai))
Show moreShow less
Old State Parliament Building Brandenburg | Photos & History
The Old State Parliament Building Brandenburg on Brauhausberg in Potsdam is a place where nearly a century of German and Brandenburg history overlaps. Official sources describe the building as a construction in a prominent location, whose external shape and function have changed multiple times. Therefore, those searching for images, photos, or the term Kremlin today do not end up at an ordinary administrative building, but at a monument with military, archival, party-political, and parliamentary past. Brauhausberg itself is considered a promising location overlooking the city; the tourism site explicitly emphasizes the view over Potsdam, parks, and gardens. At the same time, the area is envisioned as a future university campus in 2026, so that past and future stand side by side. ([landtag.brandenburg.de](https://www.landtag.brandenburg.de/de/geschichte_des_ehemaligen_landtagsgebaeudes_auf_dem_brauhausberg/7672))
Images and Photos from Brauhausberg
The search for images and photos of the Old State Parliament Building Brandenburg is so popular because the location has an immediate visual impact. Brauhausberg is not a flat city square, but an elevated point above Potsdam, from which the city with its parks and gardens opens up widely. This topographical advantage shapes the perception of the building to this day. In photos, one sees not just a facade, but a silhouette composed of the historic war school, later modifications, and the consequences of war and political use. The official tourism site explicitly describes the view from Brauhausberg as breathtaking, making it clear why the location is particularly relevant for image and photo motif searches. ([potsdamtourismus.de](https://www.potsdamtourismus.de/poi/brauhausberg))
Additionally, the architecture of the house has visibly changed over time. The official history of the parliament on Brauhausberg explains that the building changed its external shape multiple times over a hundred years. The tower is also part of this visual history: According to the Potsdam tourism site, 14 meters of the playful tower structure disappeared over the course of history. Such details make the building exciting for photography enthusiasts, as they show that the place is not only aesthetically pleasing but also historically legible. Those searching for old state parliament building potsdam or state parliament building brandenburg often refer to this contrast between imposing effect, damaged substance, and historical depth. The building tells at a glance that it was never just a neutral structure, but a politically charged place with many layers. ([potsdamtourismus.de](https://www.potsdamtourismus.de/poi/brauhausberg))
History of the Old State Parliament Building in Potsdam
The history begins on April 1, 1899, with the construction of a new war school on Brauhausberg. Kaiser Wilhelm II consciously chose the location, also considering the memory of the fortifications of 1813. For the architectural execution, he specified a mix of English country house style, half-timbering, whitewashed fields, and Renaissance motifs. The Porta Stupa in Verona served as a model for the main entrance, and the Cologne architect Franz Schwechten implemented the project. A 64-meter-high tower defined the image of the house. Completion took place in 1902, and the building initially served for the training of officer candidates from the entire army. This early phase is important because it explains the military origin that continues to shape the perception of the building to this day. ([landtag.brandenburg.de](https://www.landtag.brandenburg.de/de/geschichte_des_ehemaligen_landtagsgebaeudes_auf_dem_brauhausberg/7672))
After World War I, the war school was used as a battalion collection point before it was converted into a Reichsarchiv due to the Versailles Treaty. Later, the Army Archive took over the use, and the facility continued to grow. The official historical presentation points to the expansion of 1935 and the bombing raid by the Royal Air Force on April 14, 1945, which turned large parts of Brauhausberg into a rubble field. The magazine building was completely destroyed, the tower and one wing of the main building were damaged, and more than half of the accumulated file stock of the Army Archive was lost. For the history of the site, this is a central turning point, as the material rupture of 1945 significantly determined the later handling of the building. ([landtag.brandenburg.de](https://www.landtag.brandenburg.de/de/geschichte_des_ehemaligen_landtagsgebaeudes_auf_dem_brauhausberg/7672))
In the post-war period, the building was initially handed over to the government of Brandenburg for the Ministry of Finance in 1948. Shortly thereafter, it fell to the state association of the SED, which used it for its administration; from 1952, it housed the SED district leaderships for Potsdam, Frankfurt (Oder), and Cottbus, as well as later the district leadership Potsdam. This is where the well-known nickname Kremlin originates. After German reunification, Brandenburg parliamentarians decided on January 16, 1991, to use the property as a parliamentary building, and the first plenary session on Brauhausberg took place on September 25, 1991. After more than 20 years of parliamentary use, the parliament moved to the newly built city palace at the Old Market. Another recent turning point is the fire on August 5, 2023, which significantly damaged the former parliament again. This made it clear that the building is not only historically significant but remains a sensitive place of memory to this day. ([landtag.brandenburg.de](https://www.landtag.brandenburg.de/de/geschichte_des_ehemaligen_landtagsgebaeudes_auf_dem_brauhausberg/7672))
Architecture, Tower, and Monument Character
Architecturally, the Old State Parliament Building Brandenburg is a construction that carries different epochs within it, functioning almost like a historical layered image. Its first form as a war school already combined representative effect with military strictness. The official Potsdam city site describes the facility as built in the style of English country houses and Lower Saxon Renaissance, while the parliament itself emphasizes the Renaissance motifs and the monumental tower. The fact that the tower was shortened over time and the structure was changed multiple times in 1937 and after 1945 shows how strongly architecture here was shaped by political and functional upheavals. Nevertheless, the building remains legible as a landmark, precisely because its history has not been smoothed over but has remained visible. For photos and image searches, this ambiguity is attractive. The house appears both representative, robust, and vulnerable. ([landtag.brandenburg.de](https://www.landtag.brandenburg.de/de/geschichte_des_ehemaligen_landtagsgebaeudes_auf_dem_brauhausberg/7672))
The monument character is also emphasized in current public representations. The city of Potsdam explicitly points out today that the facade is under historical protection. At the same time, it became clear in the planning documents for Brauhausberg that the listed building of the former Brandenburg State Parliament is to be integrated into a new usage concept. This is particularly interesting from an urban planning perspective because the building is not treated as an isolated museum object but as part of a larger ensemble with scientific and public perspective. Those interested in old state parliament building potsdam or brauhausberg potsdam often seek exactly this connection between architecture, cityscape, and memory. Therefore, the place is not only historically important but also serves as an urban symbol: It shows how a building has evolved from military representation to party seat and parliament to a new public future. ([potsdam.de](https://www.potsdam.de/de/content/old-market-square-and-friendship-island))
Access, Location, and Parking at Brauhausberg
The official address of the location is Am Havelblick 4, 14473 Potsdam, and the tourism site assigns the place to Brauhausberg. The urban classification also emphasizes that Brauhausberg is located south of Potsdam Central Station. This is important for visitors because the building is thus situated in an area that can be easily connected with a city walk through the southern downtown. The Potsdam tourism site even offers its own travel options for Brauhausberg by car and public transport, which shows that despite its current transitional situation, the place continues to be understood as a destination in the urban space. For those searching for directions to brauhausberg potsdam or am havelblick 4 potsdam, these are the most important orientation data. ([potsdamtourismus.de](https://www.potsdamtourismus.de/poi/brauhausberg))
When it comes to parking, caution is advised, as current official sources do not designate a classic visitor parking lot for the former state parliament building like at an event arena. Instead, recent municipal and ministerial documents focus on the traffic connection of the entire Brauhausberg. In the public participation for the university campus, questions about traffic connections, construction site traffic, sight axes, and building heights were explicitly discussed. This shows: The accessibility of the location is part of an ongoing planning process and not a completed visitor product. Therefore, those searching for parking brauhausberg potsdam should understand the place more as an urban development space and combine their arrival with the available public transport and car information from the tourism site. For a classic event location, there is currently significantly less standardized parking information than for a regular event venue. ([potsdam.de](https://www.potsdam.de/de/028-universitaetscampus-auf-dem-brauhausberg-svv-beschliesst-start-des-bebauungsplanverfahrens))
Fire, Vacancy, and New Campus Planning
A central chapter of recent history is the fire on August 5, 2023. The Potsdam fire department was alerted in the afternoon to a building fire in the Templiner Vorstadt; in the former parliament on Brauhausberg, among other things, the side wing with the former plenary hall burned. The municipal announcement describes that the fire was brought under control after the situation on site was confirmed. For the building, this was a severe blow, as the historical substance was damaged again, and the already fragile state of the house came into focus. Those searching for old state parliament building brandenburg photos often also come across images of a damaged, partially decayed place. This is not a pleasant but a real facet of the site's history. ([potsdam.de](https://www.potsdam.de/de/339-feuer-im-ehemaligen-landtag-auf-dem-brauhausberg-unter-kontrolle?utm_source=openai))
Since early 2026, the future use has been strongly focused on science and urban development. On January 21, 2026, the Potsdam city council decided to start the development plan procedure for the university campus Brauhausberg. The city explicitly stated that the listed building of the former Brandenburg State Parliament is to be integrated into the campus and sustainably used publicly. The Brandenburg Ministry of Science formulated shortly thereafter that student life should thrive there in the future and that work would be done together on a future-oriented university campus. The planning is therefore not just abstract ideas but an ongoing process with a clear public orientation. For the significance of the place, this means: The building is not frozen in the past but is part of a new, socially and scientifically shaped future. ([potsdam.de](https://www.potsdam.de/de/028-universitaetscampus-auf-dem-brauhausberg-svv-beschliesst-start-des-bebauungsplanverfahrens))
How concretely this future is envisioned is also shown by the public participation in February 2026. According to the Potsdam city administration, 182 responses were received regarding the presented urban planning variants, including numerous comments on traffic, visibility, building heights, and nature and species protection. The Ministry of Science, Research, and Culture also reported on three urban planning variants presented as part of the planning process, each with 150 places for student housing in the variants. These details show that the Brauhausberg location is not simply to be renovated but is being rethought as a complex urban space. Brauhausberg is thus becoming a place of public debate again, just not in the sense of the parliament, but in terms of urban development, science, and cultural use. ([potsdam.de](https://www.potsdam.de/de/084-universitaetscampus-brauhausberg-mehr-als-180-rueckmeldungen-zu-den-vorgestellten?utm_source=openai))
Around the Location: Views, Neighborhood, and Photo Spots
Anyone wishing to visit or photograph the Old State Parliament Building Brandenburg should consider the location within the larger Potsdam urban area. The tourism site for Brauhausberg refers to numerous nearby destinations, including the Barberini Museum, the Film Museum Potsdam, the Nikolaikirche, the Brandenburg Museum in the Kutschstall, the Nikolaisaal, the Dutch Quarter, and the Brandenburg Gate. This selection already shows how well Brauhausberg can be combined with a classic city visit. The place is not isolated but in a culturally and historically dense zone where political history, museum landscape, and old town lie closely together. For people searching for images of old state parliament building brandenburg or old state parliament building potsdam, this context is important because the photo motifs can often be combined with other Potsdam landmarks. ([potsdamtourismus.de](https://www.potsdamtourismus.de/poi/brauhausberg))
In the end, it is precisely the complexity that makes the location appealing. The building is not only a former parliament and not just a former war school, but a place where repurposing, destruction, political symbols, and urban future continually overlap. The current planning phase gives Brauhausberg renewed public attention, while the historical facade and the location above the city continue to possess strong visual appeal. Therefore, search terms like old state parliament building brandenburg photos, brauhausberg potsdam, or monument brauhausberg work so well: They do not describe a single building in the narrower sense but a place where Potsdam's history becomes visible in a compact space. Those looking at the location today see not only the past but also the question of how a historically significant place can be transformed into an open, contemporary use. ([potsdam.de](https://www.potsdam.de/de/content/old-market-square-and-friendship-island))
Sources:
- State Parliament Brandenburg - History of the former State Parliament Building on Brauhausberg ([landtag.brandenburg.de](https://www.landtag.brandenburg.de/de/geschichte_des_ehemaligen_landtagsgebaeudes_auf_dem_brauhausberg/7672))
- State Parliament Brandenburg - Directions, Access, and Opening Hours ([landtag.brandenburg.de](https://www.landtag.brandenburg.de/de/landtag_kennenlernen/gebaeude_und_verwaltung/anfahrt_zugang_und_oeffnungszeiten/25863))
- Potsdam Tourism - Brauhausberg ([potsdamtourismus.de](https://www.potsdamtourismus.de/poi/brauhausberg))
- State Capital Potsdam - Old Market Square and Friendship Island ([potsdam.de](https://www.potsdam.de/de/content/old-market-square-and-friendship-island))
- State Capital Potsdam - University Campus on Brauhausberg ([potsdam.de](https://www.potsdam.de/de/028-universitaetscampus-auf-dem-brauhausberg-svv-beschliesst-start-des-bebauungsplanverfahrens))
- Ministry of Science, Research and Culture - Task Force Brauhausberg ([mwfk.brandenburg.de](https://mwfk.brandenburg.de/mwfk/de/service/pressemitteilungen/ansicht/~25-02-2026-task-force-brauhausberg))
- State Capital Potsdam - Fire in the former Parliament on Brauhausberg under Control ([potsdam.de](https://www.potsdam.de/de/339-feuer-im-ehemaligen-landtag-auf-dem-brauhausberg-unter-kontrolle?utm_source=openai))
Old State Parliament Building Brandenburg | Photos & History
The Old State Parliament Building Brandenburg on Brauhausberg in Potsdam is a place where nearly a century of German and Brandenburg history overlaps. Official sources describe the building as a construction in a prominent location, whose external shape and function have changed multiple times. Therefore, those searching for images, photos, or the term Kremlin today do not end up at an ordinary administrative building, but at a monument with military, archival, party-political, and parliamentary past. Brauhausberg itself is considered a promising location overlooking the city; the tourism site explicitly emphasizes the view over Potsdam, parks, and gardens. At the same time, the area is envisioned as a future university campus in 2026, so that past and future stand side by side. ([landtag.brandenburg.de](https://www.landtag.brandenburg.de/de/geschichte_des_ehemaligen_landtagsgebaeudes_auf_dem_brauhausberg/7672))
Images and Photos from Brauhausberg
The search for images and photos of the Old State Parliament Building Brandenburg is so popular because the location has an immediate visual impact. Brauhausberg is not a flat city square, but an elevated point above Potsdam, from which the city with its parks and gardens opens up widely. This topographical advantage shapes the perception of the building to this day. In photos, one sees not just a facade, but a silhouette composed of the historic war school, later modifications, and the consequences of war and political use. The official tourism site explicitly describes the view from Brauhausberg as breathtaking, making it clear why the location is particularly relevant for image and photo motif searches. ([potsdamtourismus.de](https://www.potsdamtourismus.de/poi/brauhausberg))
Additionally, the architecture of the house has visibly changed over time. The official history of the parliament on Brauhausberg explains that the building changed its external shape multiple times over a hundred years. The tower is also part of this visual history: According to the Potsdam tourism site, 14 meters of the playful tower structure disappeared over the course of history. Such details make the building exciting for photography enthusiasts, as they show that the place is not only aesthetically pleasing but also historically legible. Those searching for old state parliament building potsdam or state parliament building brandenburg often refer to this contrast between imposing effect, damaged substance, and historical depth. The building tells at a glance that it was never just a neutral structure, but a politically charged place with many layers. ([potsdamtourismus.de](https://www.potsdamtourismus.de/poi/brauhausberg))
History of the Old State Parliament Building in Potsdam
The history begins on April 1, 1899, with the construction of a new war school on Brauhausberg. Kaiser Wilhelm II consciously chose the location, also considering the memory of the fortifications of 1813. For the architectural execution, he specified a mix of English country house style, half-timbering, whitewashed fields, and Renaissance motifs. The Porta Stupa in Verona served as a model for the main entrance, and the Cologne architect Franz Schwechten implemented the project. A 64-meter-high tower defined the image of the house. Completion took place in 1902, and the building initially served for the training of officer candidates from the entire army. This early phase is important because it explains the military origin that continues to shape the perception of the building to this day. ([landtag.brandenburg.de](https://www.landtag.brandenburg.de/de/geschichte_des_ehemaligen_landtagsgebaeudes_auf_dem_brauhausberg/7672))
After World War I, the war school was used as a battalion collection point before it was converted into a Reichsarchiv due to the Versailles Treaty. Later, the Army Archive took over the use, and the facility continued to grow. The official historical presentation points to the expansion of 1935 and the bombing raid by the Royal Air Force on April 14, 1945, which turned large parts of Brauhausberg into a rubble field. The magazine building was completely destroyed, the tower and one wing of the main building were damaged, and more than half of the accumulated file stock of the Army Archive was lost. For the history of the site, this is a central turning point, as the material rupture of 1945 significantly determined the later handling of the building. ([landtag.brandenburg.de](https://www.landtag.brandenburg.de/de/geschichte_des_ehemaligen_landtagsgebaeudes_auf_dem_brauhausberg/7672))
In the post-war period, the building was initially handed over to the government of Brandenburg for the Ministry of Finance in 1948. Shortly thereafter, it fell to the state association of the SED, which used it for its administration; from 1952, it housed the SED district leaderships for Potsdam, Frankfurt (Oder), and Cottbus, as well as later the district leadership Potsdam. This is where the well-known nickname Kremlin originates. After German reunification, Brandenburg parliamentarians decided on January 16, 1991, to use the property as a parliamentary building, and the first plenary session on Brauhausberg took place on September 25, 1991. After more than 20 years of parliamentary use, the parliament moved to the newly built city palace at the Old Market. Another recent turning point is the fire on August 5, 2023, which significantly damaged the former parliament again. This made it clear that the building is not only historically significant but remains a sensitive place of memory to this day. ([landtag.brandenburg.de](https://www.landtag.brandenburg.de/de/geschichte_des_ehemaligen_landtagsgebaeudes_auf_dem_brauhausberg/7672))
Architecture, Tower, and Monument Character
Architecturally, the Old State Parliament Building Brandenburg is a construction that carries different epochs within it, functioning almost like a historical layered image. Its first form as a war school already combined representative effect with military strictness. The official Potsdam city site describes the facility as built in the style of English country houses and Lower Saxon Renaissance, while the parliament itself emphasizes the Renaissance motifs and the monumental tower. The fact that the tower was shortened over time and the structure was changed multiple times in 1937 and after 1945 shows how strongly architecture here was shaped by political and functional upheavals. Nevertheless, the building remains legible as a landmark, precisely because its history has not been smoothed over but has remained visible. For photos and image searches, this ambiguity is attractive. The house appears both representative, robust, and vulnerable. ([landtag.brandenburg.de](https://www.landtag.brandenburg.de/de/geschichte_des_ehemaligen_landtagsgebaeudes_auf_dem_brauhausberg/7672))
The monument character is also emphasized in current public representations. The city of Potsdam explicitly points out today that the facade is under historical protection. At the same time, it became clear in the planning documents for Brauhausberg that the listed building of the former Brandenburg State Parliament is to be integrated into a new usage concept. This is particularly interesting from an urban planning perspective because the building is not treated as an isolated museum object but as part of a larger ensemble with scientific and public perspective. Those interested in old state parliament building potsdam or brauhausberg potsdam often seek exactly this connection between architecture, cityscape, and memory. Therefore, the place is not only historically important but also serves as an urban symbol: It shows how a building has evolved from military representation to party seat and parliament to a new public future. ([potsdam.de](https://www.potsdam.de/de/content/old-market-square-and-friendship-island))
Access, Location, and Parking at Brauhausberg
The official address of the location is Am Havelblick 4, 14473 Potsdam, and the tourism site assigns the place to Brauhausberg. The urban classification also emphasizes that Brauhausberg is located south of Potsdam Central Station. This is important for visitors because the building is thus situated in an area that can be easily connected with a city walk through the southern downtown. The Potsdam tourism site even offers its own travel options for Brauhausberg by car and public transport, which shows that despite its current transitional situation, the place continues to be understood as a destination in the urban space. For those searching for directions to brauhausberg potsdam or am havelblick 4 potsdam, these are the most important orientation data. ([potsdamtourismus.de](https://www.potsdamtourismus.de/poi/brauhausberg))
When it comes to parking, caution is advised, as current official sources do not designate a classic visitor parking lot for the former state parliament building like at an event arena. Instead, recent municipal and ministerial documents focus on the traffic connection of the entire Brauhausberg. In the public participation for the university campus, questions about traffic connections, construction site traffic, sight axes, and building heights were explicitly discussed. This shows: The accessibility of the location is part of an ongoing planning process and not a completed visitor product. Therefore, those searching for parking brauhausberg potsdam should understand the place more as an urban development space and combine their arrival with the available public transport and car information from the tourism site. For a classic event location, there is currently significantly less standardized parking information than for a regular event venue. ([potsdam.de](https://www.potsdam.de/de/028-universitaetscampus-auf-dem-brauhausberg-svv-beschliesst-start-des-bebauungsplanverfahrens))
Fire, Vacancy, and New Campus Planning
A central chapter of recent history is the fire on August 5, 2023. The Potsdam fire department was alerted in the afternoon to a building fire in the Templiner Vorstadt; in the former parliament on Brauhausberg, among other things, the side wing with the former plenary hall burned. The municipal announcement describes that the fire was brought under control after the situation on site was confirmed. For the building, this was a severe blow, as the historical substance was damaged again, and the already fragile state of the house came into focus. Those searching for old state parliament building brandenburg photos often also come across images of a damaged, partially decayed place. This is not a pleasant but a real facet of the site's history. ([potsdam.de](https://www.potsdam.de/de/339-feuer-im-ehemaligen-landtag-auf-dem-brauhausberg-unter-kontrolle?utm_source=openai))
Since early 2026, the future use has been strongly focused on science and urban development. On January 21, 2026, the Potsdam city council decided to start the development plan procedure for the university campus Brauhausberg. The city explicitly stated that the listed building of the former Brandenburg State Parliament is to be integrated into the campus and sustainably used publicly. The Brandenburg Ministry of Science formulated shortly thereafter that student life should thrive there in the future and that work would be done together on a future-oriented university campus. The planning is therefore not just abstract ideas but an ongoing process with a clear public orientation. For the significance of the place, this means: The building is not frozen in the past but is part of a new, socially and scientifically shaped future. ([potsdam.de](https://www.potsdam.de/de/028-universitaetscampus-auf-dem-brauhausberg-svv-beschliesst-start-des-bebauungsplanverfahrens))
How concretely this future is envisioned is also shown by the public participation in February 2026. According to the Potsdam city administration, 182 responses were received regarding the presented urban planning variants, including numerous comments on traffic, visibility, building heights, and nature and species protection. The Ministry of Science, Research, and Culture also reported on three urban planning variants presented as part of the planning process, each with 150 places for student housing in the variants. These details show that the Brauhausberg location is not simply to be renovated but is being rethought as a complex urban space. Brauhausberg is thus becoming a place of public debate again, just not in the sense of the parliament, but in terms of urban development, science, and cultural use. ([potsdam.de](https://www.potsdam.de/de/084-universitaetscampus-brauhausberg-mehr-als-180-rueckmeldungen-zu-den-vorgestellten?utm_source=openai))
Around the Location: Views, Neighborhood, and Photo Spots
Anyone wishing to visit or photograph the Old State Parliament Building Brandenburg should consider the location within the larger Potsdam urban area. The tourism site for Brauhausberg refers to numerous nearby destinations, including the Barberini Museum, the Film Museum Potsdam, the Nikolaikirche, the Brandenburg Museum in the Kutschstall, the Nikolaisaal, the Dutch Quarter, and the Brandenburg Gate. This selection already shows how well Brauhausberg can be combined with a classic city visit. The place is not isolated but in a culturally and historically dense zone where political history, museum landscape, and old town lie closely together. For people searching for images of old state parliament building brandenburg or old state parliament building potsdam, this context is important because the photo motifs can often be combined with other Potsdam landmarks. ([potsdamtourismus.de](https://www.potsdamtourismus.de/poi/brauhausberg))
In the end, it is precisely the complexity that makes the location appealing. The building is not only a former parliament and not just a former war school, but a place where repurposing, destruction, political symbols, and urban future continually overlap. The current planning phase gives Brauhausberg renewed public attention, while the historical facade and the location above the city continue to possess strong visual appeal. Therefore, search terms like old state parliament building brandenburg photos, brauhausberg potsdam, or monument brauhausberg work so well: They do not describe a single building in the narrower sense but a place where Potsdam's history becomes visible in a compact space. Those looking at the location today see not only the past but also the question of how a historically significant place can be transformed into an open, contemporary use. ([potsdam.de](https://www.potsdam.de/de/content/old-market-square-and-friendship-island))
Sources:
- State Parliament Brandenburg - History of the former State Parliament Building on Brauhausberg ([landtag.brandenburg.de](https://www.landtag.brandenburg.de/de/geschichte_des_ehemaligen_landtagsgebaeudes_auf_dem_brauhausberg/7672))
- State Parliament Brandenburg - Directions, Access, and Opening Hours ([landtag.brandenburg.de](https://www.landtag.brandenburg.de/de/landtag_kennenlernen/gebaeude_und_verwaltung/anfahrt_zugang_und_oeffnungszeiten/25863))
- Potsdam Tourism - Brauhausberg ([potsdamtourismus.de](https://www.potsdamtourismus.de/poi/brauhausberg))
- State Capital Potsdam - Old Market Square and Friendship Island ([potsdam.de](https://www.potsdam.de/de/content/old-market-square-and-friendship-island))
- State Capital Potsdam - University Campus on Brauhausberg ([potsdam.de](https://www.potsdam.de/de/028-universitaetscampus-auf-dem-brauhausberg-svv-beschliesst-start-des-bebauungsplanverfahrens))
- Ministry of Science, Research and Culture - Task Force Brauhausberg ([mwfk.brandenburg.de](https://mwfk.brandenburg.de/mwfk/de/service/pressemitteilungen/ansicht/~25-02-2026-task-force-brauhausberg))
- State Capital Potsdam - Fire in the former Parliament on Brauhausberg under Control ([potsdam.de](https://www.potsdam.de/de/339-feuer-im-ehemaligen-landtag-auf-dem-brauhausberg-unter-kontrolle?utm_source=openai))
Frequently Asked Questions
Reviews
No reviews found