Could this street be any more charming? This is Große Fischerstraße in Potsdam. It is the last street in the east of Potsdam’s city center. Große Fischerstraße connects Eltesterstraße with Am Kanal street. It runs directly along the former city wall.
Große Fischerstraße emerged in the 18th century. This happened with the construction of the Potsdam city wall in 1722. It was a communication path. Since 1778, the path was named Am Kellerthor. This was after the access gate to the city canal. It was located at the northern end of the path. In the 19th century, the path became a street. It was then named Große Fischerstraße. The name refers to the residents there. Until the 20th century, all house owners and tenants had to work in the fishing trade. They used the fishing port for this. It was located at the southern end of their street behind the city wall.
The old city wall from 1722 is preserved here. It’s a longer section of the wall. In the late 18th century, Frederick William III planted the inside of the city wall with linden trees. Some majestic examples are still preserved. The wall was renovated in 2004.
“Time will not spare the Potsdam city wall.” Bellamintes was wrong about that. But behind the Holy Spirit Park in Große Fischerstraße, the longest contiguous section is still preserved. It is 160 meters long. The remains were extensively restored in 2004 and 2005. The partial inclination was not changed. The Potsdam city wall was never a defensive wall. It was created in two stages under the rule of Frederick William I. starting in 1722. The structure was intended to prevent the king’s soldiers from all countries from fleeing. Its second function was that of an excise wall. Access to the city was only possible through the gates. This made it easier for the city to tax trade goods like food. This meant collecting the excise tax.
At Große Fischerstraße 12, you can find Fischerhof Potsdam. Mario Weber runs the only fishery in Potsdam. He is often referred to as the last fisherman. All nets and traps are made and maintained. This is done using his own experiences and calculations. Building the fishing gear, working on the water, and processing the fish is still a lot of manual labor. Fischerhof Potsdam offers freshly smoked fish and fresh fish. You can buy it ready to cook or filleted. Fish sandwiches are also available. In winter, there is also a delicious fish soup on the menu.