The Potsdam City Palace is a striking piece of architectural audacity: the exterior faithfully recreates the 17th-century baroque palace that was bombed in 1945 and demolished by East Germany, while the interior is a thoroughly modern parliamentary building. The Brandenburg state legislature (Landtag) has met here since 2014, in a glass-and-steel chamber inserted within the reconstructed historical shell. Public galleries allow visitors to watch parliamentary sessions when the assembly is in session.
The exterior facades, modelled on the original palace with its Baroque ornamental details, are impeccably executed. The north facade in particular, facing the Old Market Square, shows what the square looked like before the war. The contrast between the reconstructed exterior and the visible glass interior is not hidden but made into a statement about the relationship between history and democracy. The building is open to visitors; guided tours are available on some days.