Dresden A Matter of Spirit
www.dresden.de Content
4 s Dresden, oh Dresden!
6 s Spotlights on the Essentials – The Distinctive Dresden
8 s Always Something Going On – Annual Highlights and Events
10 s A Synthesis of Arts – Museums, Galleries and Modern Architecture
12 s Strolling the Sideways – Hot Spots in Arts and Crafts and Shopping
14 s Urban Temptations – Cafes, Pubs and Restaurants
16 s Colorful Republic – Take a Walk on the Wild Side
18 s Let’s Do Business – Dresden as an International Meeting Point
20 s Let’s Get Academic – Dresden as a Place for Science and Excellence
22 s It’s Evergreen Here – Green Dresden
24 s A Little Extra Time – for Palaces, Parks and Vineyards
26 s How to get here Military History Museum Dresden, oh Dresden! 4/5 he rich history of this enchanting city goes back centuries. And what of the Dresden of today? It is very much alive! Magnificently located in the Elbe Valley, the city is one of the most magical baroque beauties of Europe. The architecture of Dresden’s historic old town is stunning and the world famous art treasures are captivating. As an innovative centre of research and industry, the city’s future is also secured. The pulsing metropolis is constantly evolving; while remaining true to itself, there is always something new to discover here. A balancing act? No, the defining character of a city, whose proud residents see tolerance and open-mindedness simply as a way of life. Let this place embrace you with open arms, too. Welcome to Dresden!
Dresden – A Matter of Spirit Dresden – A Matter of Spirit
Lecture building of the TU Dresden
Spotlights on 6/7
the Essentials Spotlights on
Pillnitz Palace, Water Palace Semperoper
The Distinctive Dresden ant to take in the glorious vista of old Dresden in one glance? Simply do like the locals do. Position yourself on the Theaterplatz, open your eyes wide and it’s all laid out in front of you: the Royal Palace, Zwinger, Semperoper and Cathedral – a stunning baroque ensemble. For this we can thank Augustus the Strong. As Elector of Saxony he turned Dresden into a magnificent seat of royal power. The Frauenkirche, the Japanese Palace and the Pillnitz Palace were also children of this architecturally fruitful period. From the “Balcony of Europe”, the Brühls Terrace, you can watch across the Elbe to the both baroque and trendy Neustadt area of Dresden and the expansive green floodplains Schlossplatz with Cathedral DON’T MISS! of the Elbe … Dresden is particularly magical from the river! Each day from beneath the Brühls Terrace, ships embark at regular intervals on tours off the city. Passing by the old town and the Elbe palaces, sailings conti- nue to the Blasewitz villa quarter and back. Always 8/9 Something
Going On Going On
Something Dresden Striezelmarkt International Dixieland Festival Always
Annual Highlights and Events
hatever the season, in Dresden it is never boring – and music very often plays a role. In spring the streets revel to the sound of Dixieland, before classical music takes over with the Dresden Music Festival, where international stars and local groups enthral with first-rate performances. The summer weekends bring rock and pop concerts to Dresden’s beautiful open air stages with the illuminated historic old town as a backdrop. October brings contemporary sounds with the TonLagen Festival before Dresden Jazz Days arrives, a 10-day, top-class international jazz festival.
SemperOpernball A special tip is the summer nights of the Dresden palaces. Come along to this fantastic summer festival, DON’T MISS! where the culture and cuisine are first class. The Pillnitz palace and park and the three Elbe palaces on Loschwitzer Hang will remain with you forever. A great date for the whole family is the city festival In December, the in August, with the legendary traditional steamboat parade. With so much on offer, it’s little wonder Striezelmarkt and that many visitors return again and again... www.dresden.de/highlights a total of ten other, Park Theatre in the Grosser Garten Park completely different Christmas markets turn Dresden into a wonderland. And if you visit Dresden New Year’s Eve, celebrate with us on into the new year on the magnificent Theaterplatz – the stage for the Semper- Opernball in February!
A Synthesis 10/11
of Arts A Synthesis
Military History Museum of the Bundeswehr Historic Green Vault
Museums, Galleries and Modern Architecture ou belong in a museum – go visit one! Although, one is not nearly enough. The city is a real treasure chest. Its rich diversity of treasures is the envy of visitors worldwide seeking art and culture. The offerings stretch from the baroque period, when Dresden flourished as a city of beauty and art, right up to the present. Great exhibitions, an innovative spirit and a particular passion for exploring extraordinary topics make each visit a real experience. The jewels from the treasury of the Saxon Electors, the world famous Sistine Madonna and scientific phenomena. There are wonderful Old Masters Picture Gallery destinations everywhere to look in, gaze in wonder and make discoveries. Art spanning many centu- DON’T MISS! ries is offered simultaneously in the Old Masters Picture Gallery, the Palace and the Albertinum. Noteworthy is the Military History Museum of the Bundeswehr. Daniel Libeskind’s impressive architectural Find out how luxury creation houses an extremely interesting exhibition. Go forth and discover! on four wheels came about; Volkswagen’s Die Gläserne Manufaktur Gläserne Manufaktur (Transparent Factory) is unique to Dresden. Its eye-catching transparent architec- ture in the middle of the city reveals every production step – and so the birth of the VW Phaeton becomes a tangible experience.
Strolling 12/13
the Sideways Strolling
Centrum Galerie Kunsthofpassage
Hot Spots in Arts and Crafts and Shopping
ou bring your tastes and desires – Dresden has the shops to suit. Fine handcrafts, Meissen porcelain, fancy designer pieces, antiques and collectables, little somethings: you won’t go home empty-handed. Dresden’s longest shopping mile, running from the main train station along the Prager Straße to the palace, has international fashion brands, shopping arcades and, for example, one of only four Apple stores in Germany. Perhaps you’re after luxury items? If so, the courtyard by the Frauenkirche, or the Baroque Quarter around the Königstraße on the other side of the Elbe, are good Arts and crafts arcades addresses. Here you can find one-off boutiques, jewellers and a variety of exclusive shops. For those DON’T MISS! who are on the hunt for off-beat and unusual items, the outskirts of the ‘in’ Neustadt district is the place to go. Fancy small boutiques, clothing, organic and second-hand shops, young designers, one-off stores, Between No. 70 oriental and antique shops are all to be found here. Alaunstrasse and No. 23 Görlitzer Straße, somewhat hidden, Kunsthofpassage: an oasis full of small arts and crafts, fashion and second-hand shops, restaurants and cafes. The artistically decora- ted façades of the five inner courtyards are an attraction in themselves. Urban Cafes, Pubs and Restaurants 14/15 quick espresso, the local cake specialty, Eierschecke, a high-end four course meal or the
Temptations crossover cooking of Michelin star chefs. Eating out in Dresden means, above all, making a
Temptations decision. In the historic old town it’s just a few steps from the top sights to the tables of the many
cafes, bars and restaurants. Restaurants, like the Alte Meister in the Semper building by the Zwinger, Urban are often to be found in stunning historic buildings. For those after small bistros, pubs and hip eateries, the outskirts of the Neustadt is the place to be. It is here that cooking knows no bounds: Ayurvedic cuisine takes on upmarket Italian, while seedy pubs and shisha bars inhabit the same neighbourhoods as the traditional stollen confectionery. If you have a sweet tooth, Dresden is the place for you. You will find it hard to avoid – and why would you want to? – the Eierschecke cake, stollen, alphabet biscuits (Russisch Brot) and a wide variety of cakes straight from the oven tray. Talking of all things sweet, so too is the story of how the Christmas specialty Dominostein was created as “emergency chocolate” when ingredients for confectionary were hard to come by during WWII: Dresden’s chocolate maker Herbert Wendler invented these calorie-rich cubes as an affordable alternative. Today they are world famous ...
Beer garden on the Elbe River Biergarten an der Elbe DON’T MISS!
The Schwarzmarktcafé on the Hauptstrasse has a great selection Restaurant at the Frauenkirche of sweet delights, including the view of the Dreikönigskirche. The Dresdner Speise- kammer is rustic and cosy. Located in the Sporergasse between the castle and the Frauenkirche, this restaurant will treat your taste buds to un- Pub in Neustadt pretentious delicacies. Colourful Republic 16/17
(Neustadt) (Neustadt) Colourful Republic
Take a Walk on the Wild Side n one side lies Dresden’s historic heart full of history and splendour. In between is the river. And on the other side? A whole different world! Here, life is more colourful, quirky and alternative. The Neustadt inhabitants see themselves as younger, more creative and more international. To many, this part of town is known simply as "the scene". But of course labels don’t really matter: in comparison with the more established Altstadt, it is a happening place. Here, you can find everything that is not mainstream: the best city beaches, most of the pubs, clubs and bars with live music, the hippest hostels, and the highest concentration of bicycles, motorcycles and classic car aficionados. It is also here that diverse artists and artisans have made their home. Browse in record and clothes shops, be inspired by artisan shops selling fine stationary and crafts, and let your curiosity run wild. Or perhaps you prefer to take your inspiration from nature? Dresden’s rock climbing centres, beautiful meadows, floodplains and the training grounds of the Dresden football team, will seduce you with yet more greenery and the chance to unwind and to take in the many other wonderful sights. Let’s Do Dresden as an International Meeting Point 18/19
urope’s first address in the development of memory chips has long had the nickname, Silicon
Saxony – and it offers much more in the way of growth and future opportunities. Hi-tech
Business makes Dresden the most important growth region in Eastern Germany. Behind this enormous power
are fantastic conditions: a convincing central European location, a well-connected transport network – Let’s Do and a short-cut to the growing markets of Eastern Europe. Dresden is ideally qualified for all those who want to present themselves successfully. Experience for yourself this superb European con- ference destination. With its International Congress Center, Messe Dresden and many outstanding conference venues, the city has at its disposal the means for establishing fruitful contacts and lasting success. Hotels and catering are also well-integrated: the distances are short and the infrastructure is state of the art. And, because in Dresden culture is always part of the package, we need say no more than: “Come and experience the best in Dresden”.
International Congress Center Dresden (ICD) DON’T MISS!
A champagne recep tion in the Zwinger? A gala dinner in a royal palace resi- Messe Dresden Gala dinner in palace courtyard dence? A seminar exhibition in the dun- geons of a fortress? Dresden is extraor- dinary – just like its exhibition spaces. Explore for yourself! Let’s Get Dresden as a Place for Science and Excellence 20/21
cience is alive everywhere in Dresden – not only in its ivory towers. Invention, research and
development are in the very genes of the Dresdeners. When you hear the word ‘physics’ don’t Academic
wince, but rather consider what remains to be discovered. Dresden’s other passion is to improve and
refine. One example are the particularly effective OLEDs, organic light emitting diodes, which produce Let’s Get light using nearly no electricity. These clever light sources glow in smart phones and monitors, and OLED-illuminated arcades allow architects’ dreams to come true. In the same manner, Dresden researchers have co-invented lightweight, thin-film solar cells straight off the roll. The idea is simply to apply a thin, extra layer to windows. The result: sunshade and a mini power plant, Dresden style! The natural openness and curiosity of the people here leads to an urge to explore; again and again the question is posed, “Isn’t there another way?” So it was with ‘Dresdener Formholz’. This fascinating, new and inexpensive building material – made of wooden tubes coated in synthetic fibres – can bear incredible loads and has the stuff to replace steel girders. Come and see for yourself what’s developing here.…
WORTH KNOWNING!
Porcelain, filter bags, single lens reflex CRTD/DFG-Research Center for cameras, 3D-displays Regenerative Therapies Dresden – all are Dresden inventions. The Dresdeners have also played a supporting role in the daily lives of millions of women: they invented the bra!
Axolotl, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics It’s 22/23
Evergreen Here Evergreen Here It’s
Grosser Garten park Steamer in front of the Elbe palaces
Green Dresden
rass green! Leaf green! Tree green! Relax, you’re in the middle of Dresden – and in the midst of nature. The city is extravagantly green, so much that the locals speak smugly of “going out into the green”. With the first rays of sun they’re lured into the city; to picnic, cycle, go inline skating, jogging or read a book. Dresden’s largest and most beautiful park, the Grosser Garten, is a picture with its finely manicured flower beds, spacious grassy areas, grand boulevards, baroque fountains drawn from springs and sculptures. A 30 minute trip on the park’s train takes you past the Dresden Zoo and an impressive baroque palace. DON’T MISS! Real Dresden specialties are the expansive green meadows along the river and the picturesque rocky outcrops on which villas, castles and hilly vineyards perch. The Rose Garden, on the banks of the Elbe, For pure romance affords a romantic and wonderfully scented experience. on two wheels, let the Elbe river landscape drift by as you pedal through the meadows right beside the river along the Elbe Cycle Path. Cycle upstream to the “Blue Wonder”, the historic suspension bridge, and admire the views: on one side the Blasewitz villa quarter, on the other the three opulent Elbe palaces. A Little … for Palaces, Parks and Vineyards 24/25
e would, of course, prefer not to let you leave Dresden - there is so much to see and do here.
But that would be unfair on the surrounding region. Follow the road, up river, along the Elbe Extra Time
through the picturesque hillside vineyards until you reach Meissen, home of the world famous Meissen
porcelain. Meander through the old city, climbing as you go, up the castle hill to the cathedral and A Little Albrechtsburg castle perched on top: breathtaking! And for those who want to go even higher, there is Saxon Switzerland. This climbing and hiking paradise is best reached by taking a relaxing trip on a historic paddle steamer from Pirna. From the heights of the famous Bastei rock formation, great pros pects await you: below, as far as the eye can see, stretches the Elbe river valley and the surrounding mountains. Opposite, in the distance, high above the banks of the Elbe, sits the 750-year-old Königstein fortress, the largest of its kind in Germany. And, then, there’s the baroque castle of Moritzburg! This architectural jewel, the former hunting lodge of August the Strong, offers one of the best-loved pho- to opportunities in the region. The reflections of its stately façade in the surrounding moat change constantly with the weather and the seasons. Be amazed!
Saxon Switzerland, view from the Bastei rock DON’T MISS!
How does a ride on the “Lössnitzdackel” sound? This historic Moritzburg castle steam train will take you from picturesque Radebeul through romantic Lössnitz- Wine-growing estate Schloss Wackerbarth The "Lössnitzdackel" grund with its broad meadows and ponds to Moritzburg. Take the train and enjoy 30 minutes of nostalgia! Helsinki Oslo Stockholm
How to get here Kiel 26/27 How to get here Hamburg
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Elbe Dublin Amsterdam Berlin London Warszawa Dortmund Halle Dresden Dresden – Facts and Figures Rhein Kassel Brussels Kiev Leipzig Prague Köln Erfurt Dresden Bratislava Capital city of the Free State of Saxony Bonn Chemnitz Paris Area 328 km², 64 % of which are forests and green areas Vienna Frankfurt Zurich Budapest 530,000 inhabitants Main Bucharest mild climate due to the location in the Elbe valley Nürnberg Sarajevo Belgrade 22,000 hotel beds Sofia Rome Stuttgart International Congress Center Donau 34 theatres and stages Augsburg Madrid Ankara München Lissabon Athens 44 museums Freiberg Friedrichshafen 4 universities/institutes of higher education
Arrival Would you like to learn more about Dresden? Imprint You will find us on: Airport Dresden International Publisher: 9 km from the city centre www.dresden.de Dresden Marketing Board www.marketing.dresden.de Regular flights to the most important German and European cities www.marketing.dresden.de www.facebook.com/dresden.marketing Layout: DIE WERFT – Kommunikationsdesign Train connections to ICE and EC/IC networks www.twitter.com/DD_Marketing www.diewerft.de www.youtube.de/dresdenmarketing Connection to more than 10 European cities Printed by: 2 main-line stations http://plus.ly/dresden Fritsch Druck, Leipzig Connection to European long-distance bus line networks Photos: Landing stage for river cruises Sven Döring (Title, p. 2, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10, 14, 16, 18, 19, 20, 22, 23), Sylvio Dittrich (p. 7, 10, 12, 13, 15, 17, 23, 24, 25, 4. US), Jürgen Lösel (p. 21), Christoph Münch (p. 11), Peter Rosenkranz (p. 17) Motorways A4, A13, A17 Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden (p. 11/David Brandt, p. 19/Jürgen Lösel) Anything else? www.dresden.de