After the Saxon-Prussian army was defeated in the Battle of Jena-Auerstedt in 1806, the Kingdom of Prussia was occupied by the French Empire until 1812. The occupation led to Prussia’s participation in the French-led invasion of Russia in 1812. Around 1,000 Russian soldiers found themselves held in Prussia, including 62 in Potsdam. The whereabouts of the men remained unknown until the defeat of France and the liberation of Prussia.
King Frederick William III placed the men, who had formed a choir of the First Prussian Regiment of the Guards, in a colony north of Potsdam. The colony’s name is in memory of Russian Tsar Alexander I, who died in 1825. Alexandrowka was built between 1826 and 1827 for the remaining Russian singers, who numbered just 12 by the time Alexander I died.The design of the Alexandrowka Russian colony was inspired Russian-Italian architect Carlo Rossi, who also worked for the Zarinmutter. The houses of the colony were modelled after typical Russian wooden houses, but were instead covered with straw and wood. In the nineteenth century, the roofs were re-slated. Overall, the Russian colony Alexandrowka includes 12 wooden houses with a garden as well as a house without a garden for the administrator. To provide the Frederick William’s Russian guests with a place to worship, the Alexander Nevski Memorial Church was built nearby.
Every property in the colony was fully furnished and each original resident was given a cow. The settlers were permitted to bequeath their new possessions to their offspring, but were not allowed to sell. Only a few descendants of the former inhabitants continue to live in the Russian colony, which was taken out of the hands of the House of Hohenzollern with the establishment of the GDR. Since reunification, most houses in the Alexandrowka Russian colony have returned to private owners.In order to preserve the history of the Alexandrowka Russian colony in Potsdam, House Number 2 was converted into a museum in 2005. Here, visitors can learn about the architectural and historical features of the settlement. The Alexandrowka Russian colony is also recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Events in Potsdam
ticket sales
Music Festival in PotsdamThe Music Festival in Potsdam will be held again in June. This year's theme "Music and gardens" ubiquitous. So even on the opening day in June. Interesting and unique you can take guided tours and visits to many different places. For those interested there is an Opera Workshop.
TICKETSDetails about the Music Festival in Potsdam can be found here.
The concert on the eve and Night of the Palaces in PotsdamThe Park of Sanssouci and Sanssouci Palace with its terraced vineyards and the New Palace are undisputedly the most important monuments in Potsdam, therefore provides the Night of the Palaces as an excellent temporal orientation, to learn more about the state capital of Brandenburg.
TICKETSDetails about the Night of the Palaces can be found here.