Dresden, Germany is a beautiful city! Once called the Jewel Box of Europe, heavy bombing during World War II reduced to rubble many of the spectacular buildings. Over the seventy years since the war, many have been rebuilt.
Frauenkirche
The bombing destroyed Frauenkirche. This Lutheran church was originally built by the citizens about the same time the king was building a large Catholic church as a sign of his conversion (when he became king of Poland). After the war, a pile of bricks and debris remained in the square as a memorial for fifty years. After the reunification of Germany, leaders decided to rebuild the church. They even used some of the original masonry, which is seen today in the darker stones of the building. They are part of what makes this church so beautiful.
The massive cupola rises more than 90 meters to the top of the cross. Similar to St. Paul’s in London, the dome looks massive from the outside, but it has a few layers on the inside to support the weight and height. This means that inside, the dome doesn’t rise nearly as high. However, the space is still massive. One detail that adds to the volume and sense of largeness comes from the multiple levels of galleries and balconies. If it weren’t for the magnificent altarpiece at the front and bright windows, the building could feel more like an opera house than a church. Beautiful paintings grace the inside ceiling of the dome.
As a dedicated church, the sanctuary is a space where guests are invited to be quiet and ponder not act as tourists. A basement chapel is designed even more for this purpose, while a basement gallery showcases the church’s history and reconstruction.
Frauenkirche Cupola
Guests are allowed to ascend to the top. Through another door around the back of the church, guests pay a small fee and take an elevator part of the way up. Then, a series of stairs and ramps take guests between the cupola shell and interior dome wall. One surprise was a large event space or reception area above the dome surrounding the oculus. I would love to be there for a chamber performance.
Following the ramp between the walls leads to the lantern on top of the cupola. The views afforded from this vantage point are spectacular. You can clearly see the rest of historic Dresden and beyond to the newer parts of the city. I highly recommend ascending to the top if you visit. Don’t worry, thanks to the elevator that takes you beyond most of the stairs, the ascent isn’t too hard.
Medieval Christmas market
Being in Germany this time of year, I was very much looking forward to Christmas markets. However, unlike in Prague, the Christmas markets in Dresden and Freiberg shut down immediately after Christmas. They were dismantling the festive markets while I was there. However, I got lucky and found one still in full operation. The catch, it required a small admission fee. This small market was themed to a medieval Christmas with the staff all in costumes and the booths all selling more traditional or period appropriate crafts and foods. The ambiance was wonderful as the market was built inside the courtyard of the former royal residence with images projected on the walls to make it feel even more medieval.
Cathedral and walk around town
I was only in Dresden for one night, but I made the most of it. After the Frauenkirche, I wandered through the other historical buildings to a promenade by the river. This led me to the cathedral, Semperopera, and Zwinger. All three of these buildings sparkle like jewels. I see how the city got its nickname.
I went into the cathedral, which has also been completely restored after near destruction in the war. It is a beautiful building. I had hoped to take a tour of the opera house, but I arrived too late in the afternoon. The next day, it was closed for tours. That’s okay though; it is still beautiful from the outside. This also gave me more time at the Zwinger both in the evening and the next morning.
Dresden lost its World Heritage status several years ago when they built a bridge. However, they should have no issues in attracting visitors, and the city has already shown great respect for their heritage. If you have a day or two and need something to put on your itinerary, Dresden is a special place to add.
