German Cities and Regions

To the more than four million tourists who visit it each year, Dresden, the capital of the German state of Saxony, does not present the image of an immaculate and harmonious whole. Yet with its architectural disunity, the city on the Elbe conveys a deeply moving impression of its eventful history.

Photo Gallery: Dresden: A City Without a Centre?

Dresden's charms are not instantly apparent. Patience is required, especially if arriving by train. In front of the railway station on Wiener Platz, the visitor is confronted by a massive building site which extends all the way into the pedestrian zone in Prager Strasse. Panel buildings from the 1960s and 1970s line the once opulent promenade which – in the words of Dresden's writer Thomas Rosenlöcher – now looks like "a concrete memorandum from the Politburo to the Central Committee, poorly camouflaged by fountains". Dresden inspires a sense of melancholy. At many places in the city, its tragic history is pervasive.

Destroyed in a night of bombing

Dresden, more than almost any other German city, suffered utter destruction during the Second World War. Yet it had survived the first years of the war unscathed. Many refugees fled here in search of shelter, and it was widely believed that Dresden – a cultural centre with glorious Baroque architecture – would be spared by the warring parties. But this proved to be a tragic misconception. In an effort to shatter the morale of the German Wehrmacht, the American and British allies launched a massive bombardment of Dresden in 1945. In the first two waves of bombing alone, on 13 and 14 February, 650  000 stick-type incendiary bombs, more than 500 aerial mines and 1800 high-explosive bombs were dropped on Dresden. The city centre was engulfed by an inferno. In a matter of hours, Dresden was reduced to ashes.

Visiting the city in 1947, Erich Kästner was still shocked to see the ruins of his birthplace: "I stood in emptiness, miles long, miles wide. A stone steppe. Nothingness. […] Even now, people argue about whether this nothingness contains the remains of 50 000, 100 000 or 200 000 dead."

Reconstruction after many years

After the war, the first priority was to provide housing. The task of reconstructing and restoring Dresden's historic buildings was postponed for many years, but clearly remained a particular concern for its citizens.

Just before Germany's reunification, an interest group was established at the initiative of the virtuoso trumpeter Ludwig Güttler. Its aim was to restore the ruined Church of Our Lady in the city centre, which had been destroyed in 1945. Since then, thousands of donations have flowed in from people all over the world who are keen to support the restoration of this architectural masterpiece, constructed by the architect George Bähr between 1726 and 1743, so that it once again dominates the city's skyline. The celebrated "Stone Bell" – the church's bell-shaped sandstone dome – was consecrated for the second time. The reconstruction project cost around 129 million euros in all and will be completed in 2006, to mark the city's 800th anniversary. On October 30th, 2005, the Church of Our Lady will be consecrated with a ceremony.

Witnesses to a glorious past

The Church of Our Lady is just one of the monuments dominating the unique cityscape on the left bank of the Elbe. The view of the Zwinger – which houses the world-famous Old Masters Gallery – the Semper Opera and Residence Palace, and the view of the fortifications on Brühlsche Terrassen, the Academy of Arts and the Albertinum earned Dresden the nickname "Florence on the Elbe". Today, the sandstone used to construct most of these splendid buildings is heavily weathered, giving them a melancholy charm all of their own.

For a long time, Dresden was the cultural heart of Germany. Friedrich Schiller and Johann Gottfried Körner, Heinrich von Kleist, Ludwig Tieck and Arthur Schopenhauer lived and worked here, at least for a time. Carl Maria von Weber, Richard Wagner and Richard Strauss shaped its Staatskapelle orchestra and opera.

Not just the wonders of nature

The Elbe, perhaps, is the city's true heart. Flowing into the very centre of the city, the river is lined by broad meadows and waterlands which are used, not only in summer, for all kinds of leisure pursuits. The slopes of the Elbe are dotted with vineyards, castles and sumptuous villas. The picturesque villa quarters of Loschwitz and Weisser Hirsch (once an elegant spa) offer a splendid view over the valley. At the foot of the slope, there is Europe's first cantilever iron bridge, which was opened in 1893. Because of its colour, it is known as the "Blue Wonder".

Dresden's charms are not instantly apparent. But they are much more accessible to visitors who arrive by ship.