Alexandrowka (Russian Colony)
On Gingerguide's self-guided Potsdam audio tour, Alexandrowka (Russian Colony) is a stop worth about ~30 min. Stand in front of it, press play for a short narrated story, and put any follow-up question to the built-in AI guide.
- Type historic
- Suggested visit ~30 min
- Potsdam Potsdam guide
About Alexandrowka (Russian Colony)
A colony of Russian-style wooden houses in northern Potsdam, built in 1826-1827 for twelve Russian singers and named after Tsar Alexander I. Part of the UNESCO listing.
Alexandrowka (Russische Kolonie Alexandrowka) is a colony of wooden houses in the north of Potsdam, built in 1826 and 1827 on the order of King Frederick William III of Prussia, though some sources extend the work to 1828. It was named after Tsar Alexander I of Russia, who had died in 1825, as a monument to the friendship between the Prussian and Russian royal houses. The houses were built for the last twelve Russian singers of a choir that had originally numbered 62 members.
The colony comprises twelve farmsteads and an overseer's house, laid out by garden director Peter Joseph Lenné in a hippodrome-like plan with tree-lined avenues forming a St. Andrew's cross. The detached gabled timber houses were executed under Captain Snethlage. Nearby stands the Alexander Nevsky Memorial Church, consecrated in 1829. Alexandrowka is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Palaces and Parks of Potsdam and Berlin.
Did you know? The twelve wooden farmsteads were built for the last twelve singers of a Russian choir that had once numbered 62. Accounts differ on whether the original members were soldiers or prisoners of war.
How much time do you need at Alexandrowka (Russian Colony)?
Around ~30 min works well for Alexandrowka (Russian Colony) — time to look properly and listen to its story on the spot. Linger if you like; nothing on a self-guided walk is on a clock.
Should you stop at Alexandrowka (Russian Colony)?
Yes — Alexandrowka (Russian Colony) made the cut as one of 13 places the Gingerguide team researched and narrated across Potsdam. The story tells you why it is worth the stop, and the AI guide fills in anything you still wonder.
Nearby stops in Potsdam
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Hear the story of Alexandrowka (Russian Colony)
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