DRESDEN: ONE OF GERMANY´S CULTURAL CAPITALS
From Berlin to DRESDEN there will be a driving time of approximately 2 hours each way. All together this day visit needs 8 - 9 hours. In DRESDEN you will start with a walking tour of 1,5 - 2 hours through the OLD TOWN of the city. This will include the following sites: ZWINGER, a part of the former fortification of Dresden, built by AUGUST the STRONG in the beginning of the 18th century. The ZWINGER was always known as one of Europe's most beautiful baroque squares for concerts and tournaments of the knights. In the ZWINGER GALLERY a large collection of paintings of OLD MASTERS is shown. -
THEATRE SQUARE with famous SEMPER OPERA, followed by an inside visit of the CATHEDRAL, the Church of the ROYAL COURT. This catholic Church is attached to the former ROYAL PALACE. Next to the Palace you will see GEORGES GATE with the PROCESSION OF THE PRINCES, which is a wall decorated with over 3000 TILES of MEISSEN PORCELAIN, representing more than 800 years of history of the Saxonian noble and Royal family.
A walk on BRUEHL's TERRACE with a spectacular view over the ELBE RIVER will bring you to the following buildings: ACADEMY OF FINE ARTS, PICTURE GALLERY and finally the ALBERTINUM, an exhibition hall with paintings of most famous "MODERN MASTERS". Turning back towards the start point of this walking tour, there will be the inside visit of FRAUENKIRCHE ( CHURCH OF OUR LADY ), a recently rebuilt church from 1743 which was totally destroyed during WWII. The tour ends at the ROYAL PALACE, where it is strongly recommended to visit the LARGEST COLLECTION OF TREASURES in EUROPE, the "GREEN VAULT".
