Sights in Dresden
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example of statues around dresden
Jonny Parsons
The residence of the Saxon electors and kings has brought forth important architectural gems for centuries. This is seen most clearly today in the Dresden Palace, for example, which presents traces of practically every style period of European architecture. Nevertheless, the contemporary fame of Dresden's architecture is founded on its Baroque buildings. As Kings of Poland, Augustus the Strong and his son had Dresden transformed into one of the most exquisite royal residences in Europe. Impressive testimonies to the Baroque period are today the Zwinger by Pöppelmann and Permoser, the Blockhaus, the Taschenberg Palais and George Bähr's Frauenkirche church. The Classicist years represented a second important zenith for the City's development with the art gallery and opera house by Gottfried Semper and Schinkel's guardhouse on Theaterplatz square.
The rapid growth of the City from the second half of the 19th century was not only a period of important technical and urban planning achievements, but also added further outstanding buildings into the Dresden townscape. The City was thus able to maintain its already famous townscape, while at the same time introducing innovative architecture. Hans Erlwein, for example, created a series of pioneering municipal buildings, and the district of Hellerau was the first "garden town" in Germany. The severe destruction at the end of the Second World War robbed Dresden of many of its architectural monuments. In the meantime, however, endlessly painstaking work, under the supervision of committed and expert monument curators, has succeeded in restoring the City's reputation as a pearl of European architecture.
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November 15, 2006
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by giorgio
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The "Balcony of Europe", famous for its magnificent view of the Elbe valley, was built on a section of the former City fortifications on the left-bank of the river. It was originally a gift from the Elector to Count Brühl. Gottfried Knöffler designed the terrace as a Baroque pleasure garden. It has been open to the public since 1814. Since this time, an impressive flight of steps flanked by statues representing the four times of the day has led up to the terrace from the Schlossplatz square. At the end of the 19th century "Brühl's Glory" finally made way for the Art Academy, more..
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The two-storey neo-Baroque Secundogenitur appears almost light and playful alongside the massive neo-Renaissance architecture of the other buildings on the Brühl Terrace. It was built by Gustav Fröhlich in 1897, on the site of the Brühl Library. It served to house the library collection of the second-born prince, hence Secundogenitur. After 1918 the Art Academy used the rooms for special exhibitions. From 1931 to 1945 it housed the New Masters Gallery, and since its reconstruction it has served as a cafe and restaurant for hungry passers-by. The Parliament Building forms the more..
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Since 2004 Dresden has got the Unesco world heritage status, because of
its attractions like Semper Opera, the Zwinger, the 18km long Elbe
valley including the steel bridge "Blue wonder" and the Pillnitz
castle. The capital of Saxony looks back on a moving history - the
golden era of August the Strong, the terrible time of war and the
following years, when it was rebuilt. The Altstadt (Oldtown)
is absolutely worth a visit!
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The Dresden Palace was the residence and seat of government of the Saxon princes and kings from the 13th century until 1918. During this period it underwent various changes. The reconstruction, which is slowly entering its final stages, has paid great attention to maintaining the rich variety of architecture from Romanesque to Baroque. The dominant palace tower was built around 1400. The last major rebuilding, which created a closed, magnificent complex, was completed at the end of the last century. It was at this time that the palace with its corner towers and Renaissance gables more..
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In 1697 Augustus the Strong converted to the Catholic faith in order to lay a claim to the Polish crown. It was left to his son Augustus III, however, to complete the building of the Catholic Court Church, despite the protests of the predominantly Protestant population. The project was managed between 1738 and 1754 by Italian architect Gaetano Chiaveri, the last master of Roman Baroque. The impressive spire of the church is an important part of the famous "Canaletto view" of the Dresden silhouette. 78 stone figures ornament the balustrades and niches. The interior presents a more..
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Semper built his first opera house on Theaterplatz square in the years 1838/41, though this building already burned down in 1869. Pressure from the people of Dresden persuaded him to create a second opera house between 1871 and 1878. Following the style of the Italian High Renaissance, the Semper Opera House is the culmination of theatre architecture in the 19th century. Thanks to its exquisite acoustics and opulent interior decoration it is still today one of the best known opera houses in the world. Following its destruction in the Second World War it was rebuilt in its more..
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The ruin of the Frauenkirche on the Neumarkt square was until a few years ago a warning reminder of the senseless destruction of Dresden at the end of the Second World War. Today, as the stones of the ruin are slowly pieced back together, it has become a symbol for reconciliation and tolerance, for the reconstruction and growing self-confidence of the City. George Bähr's Frauenkirche represents the culmination of Baroque Protestant church architecture. Its concave, bell-shaped, apparently unsupported sandstone dome was a sensation for architects of the time and was the widely more..
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The name "Zwinger" means "outer ward" and is derived from the location between the inner and outer walls of the City fortifications. Built between 1709 and 1732 by Daniel Pöppelmann and sculptor Balthasar Permoser, the Zwinger is considered the zenith of festive Baroque architecture and a symbol of the position of power of the Saxon rulers. Originally designed for tournaments and as a court pleasure garden, the complex fulfilled a variety of different functions: it was an orangerie, served as a venue for festivities and housed numerous valuable collections. A series of pavilions more..
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