sightseeing & excursions in Dresden
Dresden is a city with a long history and with many sightseeing attractions. The city was founded in 1206 and became a big European metropolis during the time of the renaissance. The city had its powerful times under rule of Emperor August the Strong. One can still find a lot of traces of the baroque period today. From the 19th century until the Second World War the city was booming because of the industrialisation. In that time Dresden was one of the most visited citys in Germany. Dresden was heavyly bombed at the end of the second world war by British bombers as a revenge for the bombing of London, not one singel a house was left untouched. Since 1945 the city has been rebuilt accoring to its original shape. Along the river Elbe you still find fantastic castles, churches and palaces.
Excursion Dresden
“Florence of the North" is how Dresden has been called. A southern city in the North, a Baroque metropolis. The city experienced its golden age in the first half of the 18th century under the rule of Augustus the Strong, Elector of Saxony and King of Poland. The Zwinger, the cathedral, the Baroque Königstraße, Pillnitz Palace and not least the countless art treasures of the museums and priceless wealth of the "Green Vault" treasure chamber all testify to this era.
In the 19th century painters, sculptors, authors and musicians - representatives of the early romantics - met here. Dresden was an innovative economic location and one of the richest cities in Germany. Today one can discover the largest villa quarter in the country. The district around Martin-Luther-Platz emerged at the turn of the century with an alternative city culture, with its own theatre, modern music and pubs. The picturesque and architecturally interesting Hellerau Garden Cityprovides a worthwhile detour.
Destroyed in the firestorms of the 13th February 1945 and then reconstructed as a large socialist city, Dresden today has a new appearance. The second reconstruction of Dresden is in full swing. By 2006 at the latest, in time for the city's 800 year jubilee, Dresden should have been restored to what it was - a large city with a pulsating centre and probably the most beautiful city in Germany. The Frauenkirche church, the largest Protestant domed building in histo ry, is to be rebuilt with money contributed from all over the world. The whole area around the Frauenkirche, which is currently empty, will be restored as a piece of old Dresden. Next to historic Baroque buildings, new buildings with old dimensions will be built. In the heart of Dresden, the Royal Palace is being reconstructed. Directly opposite the palace is the Taschenbergpalais, which was rebuilt after being reduced to just its outer walls in the war.The economic life of Dresden is also flourishing again: tourism, an innovative computer industry and consumer goods are important sectors. Dresden is also a popular location for conferences and conventions.
Exclusive City tour Dresden
Adventure visit ‚How to drink from Vogel Strauss’ in the jewels exhibition in the Green Vault
The exclusive city tour will start at the Green Vault, Europe's most splendid treasure chamber museum. Its collection comprises masterworks of jewellery-making and goldsmithery as well as precious objects of amber and ivory, jewelled vessels and charming bronze statuettes.
The New Green Vault has initially reopened on the first upper level of the West Wing. In exhibition rooms of modern design, Johann Melchior Dinglinger's Household of the Grand Mogul, the Golden Coffee Set and the cherry stone with the “186 countenances are presented along with the large ivory frigate, fanciful pearl figures and other superb artworks in an exhibition for which the world knows no comparison.
On the occasion of the 800th anniversary of Dresden in the year 2006, August the Strong's historical treasure chamber museum will be reopened in the vaults on the ground floor of the West Wing. In these historical rooms, the precious artworks will not be displayed in glass cases but the ”old-fashioned” way – on the consoles of display walls and on decorative tables.
A special exhibition in the ‚Sponsel room’ of the Green Vault presents an assorted part of the King’s Jewels before the crown treasure will be brought back to the restored jewel hall of the historical Green Vault.
Transfer over the bridge Augustusbrücke enjoying the famous Canaletto view!
The most famous view in Dresden is the one’ Dresden from the right banks of the river Elbe under the Augustusbrücke’. When Canaletto painted the picture he had chosen the place where now the Hotel Westin Bellevue is located. This Canaletto view on the historical city skylinesymbolises an invitation to Dresden.
The Augustusbrücke
The Augustusbrücke connects the ‚left elbic’ old with the ‘right elbic’ new Dresden. It is existing in its actual appearance since 1949. But since the 13th century there has been a bridge at this place – the first one in Dresden.
Stopover at the baroque and gallery quarter ‘Innere Neustadt’ with visit of the Boutique Argentum – Fine silver ware.
The district ‘Innere Neustadt’ reaches from the Albertplatz in the north, the Glacis street in the east, the Elbe in the south and the railway in the west.
For the area of the ‚Innere Neustadt’, located at the right river banks of the Elbe, old documents name the place Antiqua Dressdin in 1350 for the first time. This place received the state right in 1403. In 1549 Dresden and Antiqua Dressdin were unified by Kurfürst Moritz von Sachsen.
After the devastating city fire in 1685 the area was built up as Neue Königstadt (Neustadt) in baroque style on advise of Kurfürst Friedrich August I.
Coffee break at the Museum for Dresden Romantic.
At the main street in the Innere Neustadt, one of the most beautiful streets of Dresden, the house ‚Gottessegen’ also called the Kügelegenhaus was built in the end of the 17th century.
The portrait and historic painter Gerhard von Kügelgen (1772-1820) moved in the 2nd floor with his family in late summer of 1808.
Since march 1981 the Kügelenhaus is home to the Museum der Dresdner Romantik. In nine thematically designed rooms an important time of the cultural and intellectual history of Dresden gets vivid.
Or coffee break at the Art Quarter at Gallery Sybille Nütt
The attraction of this unique quarter is in the individuality the diversity an the typical charme of Dresdens way of life.
Visitors enjoy a rich variety of events by a walk through the well preserved and reconstructed architecture, the alleys and patios, showing places of artistic creativity and handicraft at close quarters!
The Baroque quarter is located vis á vis the famous Old Town of Dresden directly at the other bank of the river Elbe. The famous "Golden Rider" is near that. place.Many galeries are located on either side of the "Kings road"- Königststraße, which is the the main street of the quarter. They present Saxonian and Dresden based art from many epoches and many styles.
Transfer over the bridge Carolabrücke with view to the UNESCO world heritage Dresdner Ebtal
The Carolabrücke was named ‚Dr.-Rudolf-Friedrichs-Brücke’ after the first mayor after 1945 in former GDR. It is the only bridge in Dresden that was completely rebuilt after 1945 and shows only a few retained decoration elements of its forerunner, the Carolabrücke which was exploded in 1945.
The Dresden Elbtal was declared as world cultural heritage by the UNESCO. Nowadays about 790 objects and places in 134 countries have this title, about 30 of them in Germany.
This title honoures the unique ensemble of artful city architecture, culture and a mostly natural Elbe riverside. The glory buildings in renaissance and baroque style, the art collections, the Elbe steam cruising, the vineyards of the Elbtal, the Elbe Castles count to the highlights of this ensemble. Inofficially this title honoures the rebuild power since 1945.
The tour will be a really individual and communicative one. It will be run by an English speaking guide who knows the City with all its little stories and secrets behind the sights and people very well. The guided tour will make the ladies enjoy the jewels at the jewel exhibition in the ‘Green Vault’. Of course the guide will adapt the tour to the atmosphere and situation. He will be telling stories if the ladies prefer to listen as well as he will appeal to their questions and wishes. It will be an informative and entertaining tour.