Brandenburg is situated in the northeast of Germany, at the border with Poland in the east, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania in the north, Saxony in the south, Saxony-Anhalt in the west and Lower Saxony in the northwest. It surrounds the capital, Berlin, which is not a part of this state. The region has dense forests and a number of lakes. At first, Brandenburg was an independent state, the Margraviate of Brandenburg, which later became the central part of Prussia. During the last 300 years, Potsdam became one of the most important royal cities in Europe. Now Brandenburg is famous for its well-preserved nature and ambitious policy for natural protection. Its pretty villages are worth visiting.
Today the citizens of Brandenburg boast Hollywood productions in the film-producing town of Babelsberg, the European University Viadrina in Frankfurt an der Oder and more than 280 foreign companies, including the German HQ of Ebay.
Brandenburg Gate (Brandenburger Tor) belongs to the most famous landmarks in Berlin, as well as its most significant symbols. During the Cold War it stood in the land of nobody, in the middle of the restricted area, next to the Berlin Wall and it was the symbol of division of the city into West and East part, into two power bases. It was reopened after the fall of the Berlin Wall on 22 December 1989.
The Berlin-Brandenburg region lies strategically at the heart of Europe, allowing accessibility into the western European market as well as the emergent markets of central and Eastern Europe. Each of Europe’s major markets can be reached by car or truck in less than one day. The political transformation of Europe since 1989 has re-established the strategic importance of Berlin and Brandenburg on the Continent. At 22nd July 1990 the freely voted Volkskammer (parliament of the GDR) decided to reintroduce the federal states. At 3rd October the federal state of Brandenburg was founded. Potsdam became the capital of the federal state. The new constitution of the federal state was confirmed at 14th June 1992. People from 182 different nations call Berlin-Brandenburg their home and enrich the region’s cultural and creative landscape. |
