The Federal State of Brandenburg surrounds Berlin. Until 1989,
it was part of the socialist Eastern Germany.  With its numerous
lakes, rivers and canals and its extensive forest lands
Brandenburg is the ideal weekend retreat and vacation state for
the city dwellers of Berlin. However, Brandenburg has a lot to
offer for the international visitor as well.   The prime
attraction of Brandenburg is its capital of Potsdam (pop.
130.000) which lies just 30 kilometres southwest of Berlin city
centre. Potsdam became the royal seat and garrison town of the
Kingdom of Prussia in the 18th century. Frederick the Great
(Friedrich der Große) built several stunning palaces here the
most famous one being “Schloss Sanssouci”, the “German
Versailles”.  The “Spree Forest” lies southeast of Berlin city
centre. It is a river landscape that is one of the most
beautiful as well as one of the most unique nature preserves in
Europe. The terms Spree (the river) and Wald (forest) embrace a
rugged inland delta with a network of a hundred