Dutch Quarter

The Dutch Quarter is a residential neighborhood in Potsdam containing 134 red brick houses arranged in four squares with traditional Dutch architectural features like distinctive gables. Today the buildings house art galleries, craft workshops, antique shops, cafes, and museums dedicated to the area's settlement history.

Frederick William I commissioned architect Jan Bouman starting in 1734 to build this neighborhood to house Dutch craftsmen and their families, with construction finishing in 1742. The settlement was created to draw skilled workers from the Netherlands and establish their trades in Prussia.

The neighborhood functions as a living space where Dutch craft traditions remain visible in galleries and workshops that visitors can explore today. The seasonal celebrations reflect how the area's heritage continues to shape community gatherings and local identity.

The neighborhood is easily walkable with narrow streets and squares that invite lingering, and a mix of shops, workshops and cafes line the way. Visitors can enter galleries and workshops during the day and enjoy dining at local restaurants in the evening.

The red bricks used for the houses came from Rathenow, a nearby town in the same region, reflecting local trade networks of the time. This choice of local material is a detail many visitors overlook yet it reveals how the area was connected to its surrounding region.