Germany (Lonely Planet, 6th Edition) - Andrea Schulte-Peevers [136]
‘Florence of the north’, the Saxon capital was called in the 18th century, when it was a centre of artistic activity presided over by the cosmopolitan Augustus the Strong (August der Starke) and his son Augustus III. Their vision produced many of Dresden’s iconic buildings, including the Zwinger, the Frauenkirche and the Hofkirche. But following the seemingly indiscriminate destruction of the city by Allied bombers in 1945 (see boxed text, opposite) during which most of the city centre was turned into landfill, it’s a miracle some of these monumental edifices are here today.
But Dresden is a survivor and there is no more potent symbol of its people’s determination than the resurrected Frauenkirche. Although the city has been around for eight centuries, it is also forward-looking and solidly rooted in the here and now. There’s some great new architecture, a constantly evolving arts and cultural scene, and zinging pub and nightlife quarters.
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MOUNTAIN OF FRAGMENTS
Between 13 and 15 February 1945, British and American planes unleashed 3900 tonnes of explosives on Dresden in four huge air raids. Bombs and incendiary shells whipped up a mammoth firestorm, and ashes rained down on villages 35km away. When the blazes had died down and the dust settled, tens of thousands of Dresdner’s had lost their lives, and 20 sq km of this once elegant baroque city lay in smouldering ruins.
Historians still argue over whether this constituted a war crime committed by the Allies on an innocent civilian population. Some claim that with the Red Army at the gates of Berlin, the war was effectively won, and the allies gained little military advantage from the destruction of Dresden. Others have put forward the view that as the last urban centre in the east of the country left intact, Dresden could have provided shelter for German troops returning from the east and was hence a viable target.
As most of the menfolk were at war, it fell to Dresden’s women to clear the rubble of their ruined city. Most of the debris was dumped in the west of the city, and came to form the Trümmerberg or ‘Mountain of Fragments’. From the top there are views of the Altstadt, including the symbol of Dresden’s rebirth, the Frauenkirche.
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So take a few days and allow yourself to be caught up in this visual and cultural feast. We promise that Dresden’s world-class museums will mesmerise you, its riverside beer gardens relax you, and its light-hearted, almost Mediterranean, disposition, charm you.
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Orientation
The meandering Elbe River separates the Altstadt (Old Town) to the south from the Neustadt (New Town) to the north. From the Hauptbahnhof (central train station) it’s a 10-minute walk north on pedestrianised Prager Strasse, the main shopping street, to the Frauenkirche and other blockbuster sights.
The main walking bridge to the Neustadt is the Augustusbrücke, just west of the famous riverside promenade called Brühlsche Terrasse, with the Terrassenufer boat landing docks below.
Augustusbrücke segues into pedestrianised Hauptstrasse, the main commercial strip in the so-called Innere Neustadt (Inner New Town), which culminates at Albertplatz. Beyond this lies the Äussere Neustadt (Outer New Town), Dresden’s main pub and bar quarter.
About half a kilometre west of Albertplatz is Dresden-Neustadt, the city’s second train station (most trains stop at both). Dresden’s central bus station is near the Hauptbahnhof.
Dresden airport is 9km north of the city centre.
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Information
BOOKSHOPS
Das Internationale Buch ( 656 460; Altmarkt 24) Excellent selection of English books.
Der Reisebuchladen ( 8996 560; Louisenstrasse 70b) Travel books and maps galore.
Haus Des Buches ( 497 360; Dr-Külz-Ring 12; ) Lots