The city's cultural scene blends the traditional and the modern. The Elbe Valley around Dresden, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, boasts lush meadows, magnificent villas and majestic palaces.
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Few other cities are undergoing such radical transformation as
Dresden. The construction boom of recent years has produced a number of architectural masterpieces that are attracting international acclaim.
The recently restored
Church of Our Lady is a highlight of any visit to
Dresden.
Theaterplatz Square is graced by the
Zwinger Palace, the most important late-baroque building in Germany, the opulent
Semper Opera House, the
Residenz Palace with its stables and Procession of Dukes, a frieze of Meissen tiles, and the cathedral.
Outer Neustadt, Dresden's pub and club quarter, is well worth a visit, as is
Pfunds Molkerei, the most beautiful dairy shop in the world. Or you could head for the three palaces along the Elbe and the historical mountain railway in
Loschwitz.
Dresden has a tradition of opera dating back to the Renaissance period. With its magnificent architecture and acoustics,
Dresden's Semper Opera House is one of the leading examples of 19th century theatre architecture. A faithful restoration has seen the opera house returned to its former glory, with its elaborate decor and ornate interior. Its musical tradition and the calibre of the singers who have performed here have made it one of the world's best-known opera houses.
Many of
Dresden's 30 or so museums are world-class. The
Zwinger Palace houses the famous
Old Masters Gallery with the
Sistine Madonna and the world's largest porcelain collection. Equally renowned is the collection of former crown jewels, now on display in the
Green Vault on Bruehl Terrace. For contemporary art, head for the New Masters Gallery, the New Saxon Art Association, the University of fine arts or any of around 60 other galleries.
The Erich Kastner Museum is a communication forum for all those interested in the life and works of
Erich Kastner. The architecture of the museum, with its lack of facade and any specifically identified entrance, reflects the aim of the museum itself, to convey the various facets of this writer's persona rather than creating a fixed image of
Kastner, whose writings captured the essence of the 20th century. Key themes are
Kastner and his early years in Dresden/Leipzig,
Kastner and East Germany,
Kastner as a journalist and film author and the
Kastner reception and research centre.
