Dresden Travel Information

Dresden was first mentioned as a city in 1206 and the 800th birthday celebrations therefore took place in 2006. The city has come a long way since then.

The historical center of Dresden was completely destroyed in a terrible bombing on 13/14 February 1945 by allied forces. The date is deeply marked in the history of the city and is still remembered each year in processions and ceremonies. The destruction of the priceless art treasures that made the city world famous was and is felt as a wound to the soul of the people. More than 30,000 people died in the bombing - the exact number is unknown, as the city was full of refugees and many burnt completely in the firestorm (unofficial sources give numbers of up to 150,000 dead). The ruin of the now rebuilt Frauenkirche acted as a call for peace among the different nations of the world.

The historical center is nowadays largely restored to its former glory, some parts are still under reconstruction, however . The city nevertheless is a great place to experience!

Dresden has about ten million tourists a year, most of them from Germany. The Zwinger was rebuilt in 1964, the Semper Opera house in 1985 and in 2005 the now most famous landmark of Dresden, the Frauenkirche. When asked what they like most about their city, Dresden citizens will reply Old Town (which is not very big, even though it has a lot of well-known attractions and museums of worldwide meaning), Dresden-Neustadt (an alternative central quarter) and the surroundings like the wine town Radebeul or the climbing area Saxon Switzerland, or a lot of castles, and maybe most of all the city landscape of about 80 quarters. It's essential to know that the last thing is really a core competence of Dresden which helped the city to survive when the innercity was totally destroyed after Second World War. The number of international tourists is growing, especially regarding the US and China, Dresden is a stop between Prague and Berlin, that´s why just one city quarter can be recommended to get the whole idea. Blasewitz is in the architectural perspective probably the most interesting living quarter, despite there are truly many in the hilly city landscape.

Attractions and things to do:

Dresden is a very beautiful, lightspirited city, especially in summer, when you can appreciate the serene setting of the historic center. Be aware that while it has only a little more than 500.000 inhabitants, Dresden is larger than Munich when measured by area. Your sightseeing tour should among others include:

• Zwinger Palace - The baroque palace features a nympheum, many sculptures of Permoser, a bell pavillon and famous art collections. Do not miss the "Alte Meister" - you'll find the famous Madonna Sistina of Rafael there including the well known angels. There is also a very nice museum on the arms of Saxon kings, the "Rüstkammer". 
• Semperoper - The building is well worth visiting, as it is one of the most beautiful opera houses in the world. The acoustics and the orchestra - the Staatskapelle, are marvellous. Its history saw many operas of Wagner and Strauss having their first night there. Nowadays productions are of lower quality and follow the German "Regietheater" fashion. Make sure to inquire about the production in advance, you might have unpleasant surprises. - Make also sure to book tickets in advance. Some last-minute tickets are available from the box office shortly before the performance starts. Seats which do not have a good view are very cheap, and you can sit on benches behind the seats, right at the top of the auditorium, for free. When there is no rehearsal or performance, the opera offers an interesting tour behind the scenes.
• Frauenkirche - The reconstructed Church of Our Lady was completely destroyed during WWII, and has now been reopened. The City of Coventry, which was raided by the Luftwaffe in WWII, donated the golden cross for the dome of the church. Do not miss the tower visit and bring good shoes to climb in (otherwise you will not be admitted in!). 
• Fürstenzug - This biggest porcellain painting of the world shows (almost) all Saxon princess and kings on their horses and splendid parade uniforms. It leads to the "Stallhof" - the last preserved tournament place contained in a European castle. This place is in winter the location of a very romantic chrsitmas marked with a big fireplace.
• Albertinum Museum - The collections of "Neue Meister" feature a wonderful collection ranging from romantic painters (Caspar David Friedrich etc.) up to Rotloff and Van Gogh.
• Gläserne Manufaktur - The transparent factory is the site where Volkswagen builds its luxury sedan Phaeton. There is a free tour (English language) offered by Volkswagen.
• Schloss und Grünes Gewölbe [13]. The Green Vault is Europe's most splendid treasure chamber museum. You may see the biggest green diamond, the court of Aurengzeb and precious crown juwels. It is not yet completely restored and will be completely re-opened from end of 2006 on. 
• Staatliche Kunstsammlungen 
• Kassematten under the Brühlsche Terrasse (the terrace at the Elbe river) are the remains of the old fort. Gives you an insight view of what a fort in a medieval European town was. 
• Schwebebahn Dresden - a unique aerial tramway 
• Museum of Mineralogy - One of Dresden's most important museums. 
• Dresden History Museum

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