They Rebuilt Germany's Versailles And It's GLORIOUS

Video Description

Head to https://squarespace.com/theaestheticcity  to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code THEAESTHETICCITY Want the tools to defend and create beautiful cities, without the guesswork? Join our City Builder Blueprint newsletter and grab the free '10X City Guide'. https://the-aesthetic-city.kit.com/signup - Inspired by Potsdam's revival? Join for tours and talks in the city itself to explore the future of livable architecture at the 62nd IMCL Conference (October 15-18, 2025): https://www.imcl.online/potsdam-2025 ——— Potsdam was once a shadow of its former self—a city scarred by war and Soviet-era concrete. But today, it’s absolutely glorious. Thanks to the determination of locals and a very generous donation, the heart of Potsdam has been transformed into a beautiful, lively place that rivals its 18th-century splendor. In this video, I traveled to Potsdam to see how they pulled off such an ambitious reconstruction. We spoke to a developer, an architect, and a local activist to understand how they made it happen. Along the way, we uncover five key lessons from Potsdam’s transformation—and why building beautiful places matters now more than ever. Let’s dive in. —— 💪🏽 Support this channel by becoming a patron:  https://www.patreon.com/the_aesthetic_city 🔥 Join the course waitlist: https://the-aesthetic-city.ck.page/a2d41beb6f 💻 Visit our website: https://theaestheticcity.com ✨ Subscribe to our substack: https://substack.com/@theaestheticcity?utm_source=profile-page 🎙️ Listen to our podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/4cU3tcGKXiziKGuvfd3KIa?si=32da1b2ed8f44d79 𝕏 Follow us on X: https://x.com/_Aesthetic_City 🗣️ Join our community on Discord: https://discord.com/invite/wQ7zPKUTC2 ========== 🙏🏼 A special THANK YOU to the following people: - Willo Göpel - Barbara Kuster - Thomas Albrecht - Bart Urban ========== Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission if you click on them and make a purchase. This comes at no additional cost to you and helps support the channel. 🎥 Video equipment I used: Sony A7siii - https://amzn.to/407B2Ru Sony - FE 24-105mm F4 G OSS https://amzn.to/3GLYWLw Sony Sigma 24-70mm F2.8 https://amzn.to/3zX1D9h Ronin RS 3 - https://amzn.to/40hJde8 Apple Macbook Pro M1 Max https://amzn.to/3L1iHRE Røde Wireless Go II https://amzn.to/3IIvGpR ========== 📖 Favourite Urbanism & Architecture Books Léon Krier: The Architecture of Community - https://amzn.to/4cVhS8e Nir Buras: The Art of Classic Planning - https://amzn.to/3Wjhriz Jane Jacobs: The Death and Life of Great American Cities - https://amzn.to/4cy7CTq Vitruvius Pollio: The Ten Books on Architecture - https://amzn.to/4cyxwXh Charles Montgomery: Happy City - https://amzn.to/3LldSlC Malcolm Millais: Exploding the Myths of Modern Architecture - https://amzn.to/3Wh45mJ James Stevens Curl: Making Dystopia - https://amzn.to/3zFzN4s Branko Mitrovic: Architectural Principles in the Age of Fraud - https://amzn.to/3RZTD0s Tom Wolfe: From Bauhaus to Our House - https://amzn.to/3S5mgtb ========== ©️ Copyright info: 🎶 Music: Falls - Histories - QXHTHULGMI6VFDYV Falls - Thruway - ACTOG4EBF8UHMKXH Falls - Allons-y - KQTJDEUEL49UYT4F Falls - Spicy Boi - IU4QYPSS9TKWIUDW Falls - Wistful - XRYKQYNG6RUXUEUH Falls - Raw Aesthetic - I2LEM2QGHLMHWBAG 🖼️ Images: Willo Göpel 2eight, CC BY-SA 3.0 A. Kniesel, CC BY-SA 3 Ajay Suresh, CC BY 2 Andreas Lippold, CC BY-SA 4.0 Angel Miklashevsky, Neues Palais Potsdam, CC BY-SA 4 Angel Miklashevsky, Sanssouci, CC BY-SA 4 ArildV, Marmorpalais June 2023, CC BY-SA 4 ArildV, Orangerieschloss June 2023, CC BY-SA 4 Bundesarchiv, Neues Palais, CC BY-SA 3 Bundesarchiv, Bild 102-14569, CC BY-SA 3 Bundesarchiv, Bild 183-J31422, CC BY-SA 3 Bundesarchiv, Tag von Potsdam, CC BY-SA 3 Bundesarchiv, Walter Ulbricht Neujahrsansprache, CC BY-SA 3 Colin Smith, CC BY-SA 2 Flocci Nivis, CC BY-SA 4 George Pahl, CC BY-SA 3 Gerhard Hillmer, CC BY-SA 3 GodeNehler, (3 images), CC BY-SA 4 Grendelkhan, CC BY-SA 4 Joe Robinson, CC BY-SA 2 Kemmi.1, Belvedere Pfingstberg, CC BY-SA 3.0 Unported Kiran891, CC BY-SA 4 Max Baur, (13 images), CC BY-SA 3 Mister No, Pomonatempel, CC BY 3.0 Unported Nachlass Max Baur, CC BY-SA 3 Orderinchaos, Potsdam Stadtschloss, CC BY-SA 4 Pascal Volk, Sanssouci Palace, CC BY-SA 4 Paul Korecky, CC BY-SA 2 Peter H. Feist, CC BY-SA 4 Raimond Spekking & Elke Wetzig, CC BY-SA 4 Regi51, Garnisonkirche Potsdam, CC BY-SA 3 Wikswat, CC BY-SA 3 ernstol, CC BY-SA 3 werdersen, CC BY-SA 4 zerstörte Garnisonkirche, CC BY-SA 3