Germany (Lonely Planet, 6th Edition) - Andrea Schulte-Peevers [139]
North of the statue, Hauptstrasse is a tree-lined pedestrian shopping street where the Museum der Dresdner Romantik (Museum of Dresden Romanticism; 804 4760; Hauptstrasse 13; adult/concession €3/2; 10am-6pm Wed-Sun) documents the city’s artistic and intellectual movements during the early 19th century.
Further along stands the Dreikönigskirche ( 812 4102; tower adult/concession €1.50/1; 11.30am-4pm Tue, 11am-5pm Wed-Sat, 11.30am-5pm Sun May-Oct, shorter hr Nov-Mar) designed by Zwinger-architect Pöppelmann. View the most eye-catching feature, the baroque altar ruined in 1945 and left as a memorial, before scaling the almost 90m-high tower for some panoramic views. Jazz concerts take place here during the Dixieland Festival.
Across Hauptstrasse, the Neustädter Markthalle, a gorgeously restored old market hall (enter on Metzer Strasse), provides a laid-back retail experience with stalls selling everything from Russian groceries to kid’s wooden toys. There’s also a supermarket.
Hauptstrasse culminates at Albertplatz with its two striking fountains representing turbulent and still waters. Also found here is the interactive Erich-Kästner-Museum ( 804 5086; Antonstrasse 1; adult/concession €3/2; 10am-6pm Sun-Tue, 10am-8pm Wed), dedicated to the beloved children’s book author, pacifist and outspoken Nazi critic who was born nearby.
Königstrasse runs southwest of Albertplatz, all the way to the not-very-Japanese Japanisches Palais (1737). Inside is Dresden’s Museum für Völkerkunde (Museum of Ethnology; 814 4814; Palaisplatz 11; adult/concession €4/2; 10am-6pm Tue-Sun), which boasts well over 70,000 anthropological items from far-flung corners of the world.
North of Albertplatz, the Äussere Neustadt is a spidery web of narrow streets, late-19th-century patrician houses and hidden courtyards, all chock full of pubs, clubs, galleries and one-of-a-kind shops. A highlight here is the Kunsthofpassage (enter from Alaunstrasse 70 or Görlitzer Strasse 21), a series of five whimsically designed courtyards each reflecting the vision of a different Dresden artist.
More essential viewing can be found at the Pfunds Molkerei ( 810 5948; Bautzner Strasse 79; admission free; 10am-6pm Mon-Sat, 10am-3pm Sun) in the eastern Äussere Neustadt. Hyped up as ‘the world’s most beautiful dairy shop’, it’s a riot of hand-painted tiles and enamelled sculpture, all handmade by Villeroy & Boch. The shop sells replica tiles, wines, cheeses and milk. Not surprisingly, the upstairs cafe-restaurant has a strong lactose theme. Slip in between coach tours for a less shuffling look round.
GROSSER GARTEN & AROUND
Southeast of the Altstadt, occupying the former royal hunting grounds, is the aptly named Grosser Garten (Great Garden), a relaxing refuge during the warmer months. A visitor magnet here is the excellent zoo ( 478 060; Tiergartenstrasse 1; adult/child/concession €8/4/6; 8.30am-6.30pm Apr-Oct, 8.30am-4.30pm Nov-Mar), where crowds gravitate towards the Africa Hall and the new koala house. At the garden’s northwestern corner is the Botanischer Garten (botanical garden; admission free; 10am-dusk). From April to October, a fun way to get around the park is aboard a miniature train ( 4456 795; adult/concession €3.50/2).
Not, as you might think, an institution dedicated to the history of the GDR’s infamously harsh cleaning products, the Deutsches Hygiene-Museum (German Hygiene Museum; 4846 400; www.dhmd.de; Lingnerplatz 1; adult/concession €6/3; 10am-6pm Tue-Sun), is, in fact, all about you, the human being. The fascinating permanent exhibit is a virtual journey through the body, drawing from anatomy, cultural studies, social science, history and scientific research. You’ll learn about various aspects of the human experience, from eating, drinking and thinking