Exploring the mysterious peninsula – Hermannswerder in Potsdam

I wanted to see the Biotech Campus in Potsdam, so I went to Hermannswerder. It is located by Templiner See – the lake surrounding Potsdam and Caputh. It is not far from the main train station and reacheable by bus in just few minutes. From the beginning something was wrong…

Since Hermannswerder lies on a peninsula it is somehow isolated from the rest of land. To enter, first I had to cross the gate and then a bridge. The main street leading to the centre was quite narrow and along it there were trees – each one labeled with individual number. Later on there was a church, a school, a hospice, a hotel and expected Biotech Campus – all empty. Streets were empty, so as houses. I spent there few hours and I met only an elderly woman on a wheelchair and a nun in a cafe. There was also a little harbour there, but didn’t look more lively than anything else.

To my surprise Biotech Campus was not a modern complex with glass houses with a nice view to the lake, but old-fashioned brick houses in the middle of the forest. Almost every building there was made of brick.

I need to admit that it was the most scary and misterious place I have ever seen in Potsdam.

I gave it another chance some weeks later and attended some little festival organised by church, with hand-made jewelery, snacks and kids singing. That time streets were full of cars and plenty of people, so apparently Hermannswerder has two faces. Which one is better?