DRESDEN
History
History I
Sightseeing I
Practical I Hotels in Dresden
Saxony, a fertile upland, lies at the
very heart of the European continent; its main river, the
Elbe, is
eastern Europe's most direct trade route to the Atlantic Ocean. During
the Middle Ages, rich deposits of silver, tin, copper, iron, and semi-
precious gems were discovered in Saxony's mountainous south; with these
mineral resources, Saxony developed into an early center of
craftsmanship and light industry. The Saxon monarchs took great pride in
their title of "elector," as only seven Germanic rulers held the
privilege of electing the Holy Roman Emperor.
Dresden came to prominence relatively late in Saxon history -- not until
1485 did the electors make this city their principal residence.
Dresden's most glorious period, both in art collecting and in
architectural innovation, occurred from
1697 to 1763, when two electors
of Saxony also served as kings of Poland, controlling one of Europe's
largest empires. The last monarch abdicated in 1918, and Saxony joined
the modern German nation.
Dresden was
destroyed in the firestorms of the 13th -14th February
allied bombardment in 1945. During this attack about 25.000 people died.
After the war, the city was reconstructed as a large socialist city. The
raid was a deep blow to architectural history. For many centuries, the
Saxon princes had shaped a city center by extending the activities of
their palace toward the Elbe, which defined a public realm of gardens,
galleries, and theaters in a riverside esplanade inspired by the Piazza
San Marco on Venice's Grand Canal. The stately, mostly Baroque facades,
made of a golden Elbe sandstone weathered to a rich patina, formed a
linear acropolis lining a riverbank that served as a stage for
fireworks, gondola regattas, and reenacted sea battles. Reciprocal
Baroque palaces were built across the river. Dresden was a vision.
What the bombs didn't destroy fell to Communist planners after the war.
There were enough surviving buildings, or remnants of buildings and
street infrastructure, with which to reconstruct the traditional
character and scale of the city. But intent on building a new utopian
socialist city, planners erased many of the buildings that had tiptoed
through the bombs. On the new tabula rasa, they built a politically
correct field of banality that celebrated collectivity
Dresden today has a
new appearance. The second reconstruction of Dresden
is in full swing. By 2006 at the latest, in time for the city's 800 year
jubilee, Dresden should have been restored to what it was - a large city
with a pulsating centre and probably the most beautiful city in Germany.
The Frauenkirche church, the largest Protestant domed building in
history, is to be rebuilt with money contributed from all over the
world. The whole area around the Frauenkirche, which is currently empty,
will be restored as a piece of old Dresden. Next to historic Baroque
buildings, new buildings with old dimensions will be built. In the heart
of Dresden, the Royal Palace is being reconstructed. Directly opposite
the palace is the Taschenbergpalais, which was rebuilt after being
reduced to just its outer walls in the war.
