Germany (Lonely Planet, 6th Edition) - Andrea Schulte-Peevers [138]
A further 3000 items are exhibited below in the show-stopping Historisches Grünes Gewölbe (Historical Green Vault; tickets & information 4914 2000; www.skd-dresden.de; admission incl audioguide €10; 10am-7pm Wed-Mon), displayed on shelves and tables in a series of increasingly lavish rooms, just as they were during the time of August der Starke. To protect the artworks, which are not behind glass, visitors must pass through a ‘dust lock’, and numbers are limited to 120 an hour. Admission is by timed ticket only. Advance tickets are available online and by phone, and about a third are sold at the palace box office on the day.
In the same wing, on the top floor, is the Kupferstichkabinett (Collection of Prints & Drawings; 4914 3211; adult/concession €3/2; 10am-6pm Wed-Mon), which possesses works by some big-hitting names.
For fine views, head up the Hausmannsturm (palace tower; adult/concession €2.50/1.50; 10am-6pm Wed-Mon Mar-Nov). Numismatists might like to peruse the Münzkabinett (Coin Collection; 4914 3231; adult/concession incl tower access €3/2; 10am-6pm Wed-Mon), also in the tower.
SEMPEROPER
The original Semperoper (Opera House; 491 1496; www.semperoper.de; tours adult/concession €7/3.50) burned down a mere three decades after its 1841 inauguration. When it reopened in 1878, the neo-Renaissance jewel entered its most dazzling period, which saw the premieres of works by Richard Strauss, Carl Maria von Weber and Richard Wagner. Alas, WWII put an end to the fun, and it wasn’t until 1985 that music again filled the grand hall.
German-language tours lasting 45 minutes run up to six times a day and explore the most interesting parts of the building. English texts are available.
ZWINGER
Next to the opera house, the sprawling Zwinger ( 4914 2000; 10am-6pm Tue-Sun) is among the most ravishing baroque buildings in all of Germany. A collaboration between the architect Matthäus Pöppelmann and the sculptor Balthasar Permoser, it was primarily a party palace for royals, despite the odd name (which means dungeon). Several charming portals lead into the vast fountain-studded courtyard, which is framed by buildings lavishly festooned with baroque sculpture. Atop the western pavilion stands a tense-looking Atlas with the world on his shoulders; opposite him is a cutesy carillon of 40 Meissen porcelain bells, which emit a tinkle every 15 minutes.
Inside, the Zwinger’s museum situation has been a bit of a roundabout in recent years, with several comings and goings. The most important permanent collection is the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister (Old Masters Gallery; combined ticket with Rüstkammer adult/concession €7/4.50), which features masterpieces including Raphael’s Sistine Madonna. Other permanent fixtures include the Rüstkammer (Armoury; adult/concession €3/2), a grand collection of ceremonial weapons; the Porzellansammlung (Porcelain Collection; adult/concession €6/3.50), a dazzling assortment of Meissen classics and East Asian treasures; and the Mathematisch-Physikalischer Salon which normally displays old scientific instruments, globes and timepieces, but was closed at the time of research for renovation.
Until 2009 the Zwinger was also temporary refuge to the Galerie Neue Meister and the Skulpturensammlung, two exhibitions normally found in the Albertinum. These will remain in limbo until the Albertinum, which suffered damage in the 2002 flood, has been rebuilt, hopefully by summer 2010.
NEUSTADT
Despite its name, Neustadt is actually an older part of Dresden that was considerably less smashed up in WWII than the Altstadt. After reunification it was taken over by the alternative scene, which today still dominates the so-called Äussere (Outer) Neustadt north of Albertplatz. South of here, the Innere (Inner) Neustadt, with Hauptstrasse as its main artery, is now solidly gentrified – especially along Königstrasse, which again sparkles in baroque splendour.
The first thing that catches the eye when crossing Augustusbrücke is the gleaming