Dresden, Saxony:

Dresden Frauenkirche

At the beginning of April, I attended a conference in Dresden. I stayed for the following weekend to meet a friend and visit the city.

Dresden is certainly one of the most worthwhile places to see in Germany. The old city centre boasts a number of magnificent architectural masterpieces and a series of world-class museums. Just as remarkable is the history of Dresden which was destroyed almost completely towards the end of the Second World War. Its rebuilding continued over the following decades and found its climax in the reconstruction of the Frauenkirche completed in 2004. If the weather permits, you can stroll along the northern banks of the Elbe River and enjoy nice views of the old city.

at the main train station of Dresden

Kunsthofpassage

walking along the Elbe

view of the old town

Dresden Castle and Cathedral

Frauenkirche

view of the old town

Erlweinspeicher

Japanese Palace

International Congress Center

Yenidze

Palace in the ‘Großer Garten’ (Greater Garden)

Palace in the ‘Großer Garten’ (Greater Garden)

Theaterplatz

Semperoper

Semperoper

Zwinger Palace

Zwinger Palace

Zwinger Palace

carillon at the Zwinger Palace

Zwinger Palace

Zwinger Palace

Dresden Castle and Cathedral

Augustus Bridge

Dresden Castle

sculpture guarding the Dresden Castle

sculpture guarding the Dresden Castle

Stallhof

‘Dresden Green Diamond’ exhibited in the New Green Vault

Court of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb

Court of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb

Court of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb

elephant at the Court of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb

Nautilus Goblet (ca. 1707)

detail of ‘King August II of Poland’ by Louis de Silvestre (1718-1720)

‘Large Ivory Frigate supported by Neptune’ by Jacob Zeller (1620)

ancient weapons at the Dresden Armory

armour of the early 16th century

Riesensaal

parade dress of Electress Magdalena Sibylla of Saxony (1586-1659)

large tent (1729) in the Turkish Chamber

tower of Dresden Castle (Hausmannsturm)

Semperoper seen from Hausmannsturm

Yenidze

Frauenkirche

Dresden Cathedral

Dresden Cathedral

Dresden Cathedral

sculpture at the outside of Dresden Cathedral

Kulturpalast

Frauenkirche

statue of Martin Luther in front of Frauenkirche

Frauenkirche

Dresden Academy of Fine Arts

Albertinum

State Ministry of Finances

Brühl’s Terrace

Semperoper

Saxon State Chancellery

Procession of Princes (Fürstenzug) built from Meissen Porcelain tiles

August II the Strong

August II the Strong

musicians

pro-Europe activists

Semperoper (‘For a cosmopolitan Dresden’)

Dresden Cathedral and Castle

detail of ‘Duchess Katharina of Mecklenburg’ by Lucas Cranach the Elder (1514)

detail of ‘Duchess Katharina of Mecklenburg’ by Lucas Cranach the Elder (1514)

‘Sleeping Venus’ by Giorgione/Titian (1510)

detail of ‘The Dentist’ by Gerard van Honthorst

detail of ‘The Sistine Madonna’ by Raphael (1512/13)

in the Old Masters Gallery

detail of ‘Rembrandt and Saskia in the Parable of the Prodigal Son’ by Rembrandt (1635)

sculpture collection

‘Laocoon’ (1st half of 17th century)

detail of ‘Dresden from the Right Bank of the Elbe, below the Augustus Bridge’ by Bernardo Bellotto aka Canaletto (1748)

‘The Chocolate Girl’ by Jean-Etienne Liotard (1744/45)

Dresden Castle

porcelain collection

porcelain collection

Zwinger Palace

in the Royal Cabinet of Mathematical and Physical Instruments

Dreikönigskirche

Canaletto View

I greatly enjoyed my time in Dresden and can only recommend that you visit it yourself!