Grid fragments in front of the Education Forum

We have the choice of going towards the Water Gate or the Cellar Gate. I initially decide to take the path towards the Education Forum at Unity Square. Here we find a fragment of a canal grate, which gives us a clue to the former waterway. The cast-iron posts bear names, obviously those of canal enthusiasts or supporters. Their contributions to each post have been acknowledged with a nameplate.

From drainage ditch to romantic canal with a catch

The canal ran from the Kellertor (Cellar Gate) in the east, through the city center, to the Wassertor (Water Gate) in the south, and tells a history spanning more than 200 years. Frederick William of Brandenburg had it dug as a drainage ditch as part of the city's expansion into a baroque residence as early as 1673.

Just 50 years later, under Frederick William I, it was straightened and deepened, modeled after Dutch canals, and made navigable with wooden linings. As part of the city's beautification measures under his son Frederick II, the canal was then given a more prestigious upgrade: the wooden linings were replaced with sandstone, as were the nine wooden bridges.

Romantic bridges, beautiful reflections in the water, and small boats – a truly romantic sight! But there was a catch. The water in the canal wasn't moving. It was stagnant, and so unpleasant odors developed, which must have been very bothersome.

Buried and then unearthed – turbulent times

Parts of the nearly 2 km long structure were filled in as early as 1889. Others fell victim to the destruction of the city center during the Second World War. In the post-war years, reconstruction efforts began, only to be followed by the re-filling of the rebuilt sections between 1961 and 65 as part of the development of Potsdam's city center into a "Socialist Center." The last of the nine bridges was demolished in 1971.
But the people of Potsdam want to revive this former waterway! Even after German reunification in 1990, initial steps toward its restoration began. Thanks to civic engagement and the founding of a support association, a section near Yorkstraße was soon opened. We find this section if we continue past the intersection of Friedrich-Ebert-Straße and the city canal.

Potsdam's Water Gates

Potsdam had three water gates. They were part of the former city wall.

1. The Old Water Gate stood at the southwestern exit of the city canal opposite the Planitz Islands.
2. The New Water Gate was located at Bassinplatz on today's Hebbelstrasse, diagonally opposite the current parking garage.
3. The cellar gate with the cellar gate guard marked the eastern inflow of the city canal.

From the main post office at Platz der Einheit (Unity Square), we follow the street along the canal towards the Heilig-Geist-Residenz (Holy Spirit Residence). The canal must have once run along here. Pretty buildings line Am Kanal (At the Canal). In the middle of the street is a wide strip: today you'll find parking spaces, green areas, and a small playground here. At the very end of the street, we finally discover a section of the canal and some information panels. They show what it looked like here many years ago when the city canal was still there.

Views and hidden insights

The extension of the water-bearing section of the canal from Heilig-Geist-Straße to Berliner Straße is planned. This approximately 180-meter-long section would cost about 3,5 million euros. We're now heading directly towards the Havel River. Since 2011, another section of the reconstructed city canal has been visible here at the Kellertor (Cellar Gate), complete with a customs and guardhouse.

In 2018, a new waterfront park was opened on the promontory next to the canal, offering magnificent views of the water. The small park is not visible from the road. To enter, you must pass through a small archway located next to the gatehouse, which was destroyed in 1945 and rebuilt in 2017.

The Kellertor (Cellar Gate) was one of ten historic Potsdam city gates and served as a guardhouse and customs house. Two guards and a royal tax collector were stationed here, who collected the excise duty (value-added tax) on goods imported by water. The guards at the gate were also responsible for preventing soldiers from deserting. The gate was named after Kellerstraße (Cellar Street, today: Heilig-Geist-Straße) which led to the Elector's wine cellar.

The Berlin historian Willo Göpel, a founding member of the Potsdam City Canal Building Association 1722 eV, uses the reconstructed gatehouse as a residence with his family. Our walk ends here.