Brandenburg

Brandenburg is a state in northeastern Germany that completely surrounds the capital, Berlin. Its capital is Potsdam, famed for its palaces and gardens. A land of lakes, forests and rivers, it offers a tranquil green counterpoint to the bustling metropolis at its heart.

Brandenburg is a flat lowland of countless lakes, canals and pine forests, drained by the Havel and Spree rivers, including the watery Spreewald region. The climate is temperate continental, one of the driest in Germany.

Brandenburg culture blends Prussian heritage, reflected in Potsdam's grand palaces, with rural traditions and the distinct Sorbian minority in the southeast. Cycling, boating and nature tourism are popular across its lake landscapes.

The historic core of Prussia, Brandenburg shaped German history from its capital ambitions in Berlin. After the Second World War it lay in East Germany, and it was re-established as a federal state upon reunification in 1990.