POTSDAM, the capital of the circle of Potsdam, in the government of Brandenburg, in Prussia, is situated on an island in the Havel, at the point where that river is joined by the Nuthe, 10 miles by railway S. W. from Berlin, and has about 40,000 inhabitants. It is, next to Berlin, the handsomest and best built town in Prussia, a distinction for which it Is indebted to being the occasional residence of the court. The streets are regular and broad, and there are some good squares. The town is surrounded by ramparts and has nine gates, of which the Brandenburg gate is a handsome triumphal arch copied from the arch of Trajaa at Rome. Of the seven bridges over the Havel and the canal, the finest. is the Teltow Bridge, which is 600 feet long and 30 feet wide ; it consists of eight iron arches resting on massive stone pillars. Of the numerous buildings the most worthy of notice is the Royal Palace which el an oblong parallelogram, three stories high, adorned with coloeumies of the Corinthian order. The main entrance is towards the old market-place. a handsome square, in the taiddle of which there is an obelisk of red and white marble 75 feet high adorned with busts. The palace has extensive garden. along the river. The town-hall was built In 1754, on the model of that of Amsterdam. Among the other buildings the most notable are the theatre ; the poor-house and Infirmary ; the military orphan asylum ; the garrison church, which contains the tombs of Frederick William I. and Frederick H. ; the
church of the Holy Ghost, with a tine steeple 2S0 feet high ; the French Protestant, church, built on the plan of the Pantheon at Rome; the barracks ; and a large building, 660 feet in length and 75 feet in breadth, for exercising the troops in bad weather. The gymnasium (which has IS teachers), the seminary, and the military school are the chief educational establishmenta. The principal manufactures are silk, cotton, linen, woollens, leather, muskets and small arms, sugar, hate, hosiery, musical inidrumeute, and carriages.
In the vicinity of Potsdam are the Pfauenineel (Peacocks Island), In the Havel, 2000 paces long and 500 paces broad, prettily laid out, and containing many foreign animals ; the palace of Sansouci, the favourite residence of Frederick IL, which stands amidst beautiful gardens on the slope of en eminence and commands a fine prospect; the 34arble Palace; and the New Palace, a magnificent building founded by Frederick 11., and situated iu a fine park.
The circle of Potsdam and the chief towns in it are noticed under Brisenzenvuo.