Dresden Germany

Dresden is a class of its own. It is the capital of the federal state Saxony and truly one of the most famous vacation destinations in Germany. Opera Semper, Sistine Madonna and the reconstructed Church of Our Lady attract locals as well as Germany visitors from all over the world. Alongside the richness of cultural highlights, Dresden also surprises with a lively club scene, crowded bars and a friendly atmosphere.

But Dresden and its citizens also experienced tough times. During World War II, the town was bombed by the allied forces and over 25.000 civilians were killed in only two nights. This terrible experience sure left its marks on the people of Dresden. But soon after the war was over, the people started to rebuild their town and some of its landmarks.

However, the fate was bitter. Saxony was in the Soviet zone of occupation and so Dresden was forced to suffer under the communist command of the Social Unity Party of Germany for the next 44 years.  

But since German Unity in 1989, Dresden is back on track. The government started to rebuild the Church of Our Lady which became a symbol for unity and freedom. Today, over 10 million people visit Dresden each year during their Germany vacation.

When you arrive in Dresden, the historical Old Town is the first place to go. From here, most of the sights can be reached conveniently by foot or by underground.

Semper Opera House Dresden

When you come across Dresden while travelling Germany, make sure to take a look at the Semper Opera House. It is one of many impressive buildings you can see in Dresden and truly an architectonical masterpiece. Watch for all the details and artwork inside and do not forget to see the quadriga on top.

But this monument also has a long and painful history. After the first Semper Opera House burned down in 1869, it was rebuilt by German architect Gottfried Semper between 1871 and 1878. It became a royal theatre and embodies the style of the High Renaissance at its best.

Sadly, the Semper Opera House burned down again in 1945 during the air bombing of Dresden by the allied forces on February 13. In 1977, the people of Dresden decided to rebuild the Semper Opera House true to the original. The reconstruction took almost eight years and the building was reopened on February 13 1985, exactly 40 years after it was destroyed.

Today, the Semper Opera House is also used for stage plays and operas again. It is one of the landmarks of Dresden and visited by many Germany tourists each and every year.

Dresden Frauenkirche

This is clearly Dresden's number one landmark! This impressive protestant church was built between 1726 and 1743, inspired by the dome architecture of Italian churches. The Frauenkirche affronted the bombs of the Seven Years' War from 1756 to 1763 and initially the bombardment on 13 February 1945. But the church was hit heavily and two days later the pillars yield to the pressure of the fire.

After the war, the church was a ruin. Unlike many other monumental buildings in Germany it was not reconstructed. Moreover, the ruin functioned as a monument against war.

With the Germany Unity, the government and the people of Dresden decided to reconstruct the church, because it is a part of the town's identity. The reconstruction began in 1993 and was based on the extrication of the original stones. In 2005 the work was finished and on October 30 the church was finally consecrated.

Today, the Frauenkirche receives Germany visitors in great state. Especially the inside looks marvelous and should not be missed when you visit Dresden during your Germany vacation.

Zwinger Palace

If you do not want to miss out the arts on your Germany vacation, the Zwinger Palace in Dresden is the place to go. The Saxonian king August the Strong delegated his architect Matthäus Daniel Pöppelmann to build a baroque masterpiece in 1707.

The outcome was an impressive building serving as an adequate home for the king and his family. The result surpassed all expectations and is known today as the Zwinger Palace.

Around a courtyard with water garden and trick fountains the four buildings of the palace are arranged rectangular. The palace was not entirely closed until Gottfried Semper completed the ensemble with a gallery building in 1855. There, you can visit the "Old Master's Picture Gallery" which contains over 700 great paintings from Renaissance to Baroque of German artists and artists from other European countries as well.

All these works of art have been collected by the Saxonian Kings in the 18th century. The most famous piece of art in the gallery is the Sistine Madonna by the Italian artist Raphael. Among many others also works from Rembrandt, Giuseppe Ribera and Albrecht Dürer can be viewed here.