Baroque palaces & art collections
Dresden
Dresden · Baroque splendor on the Elbe
Once called 'Florence on the Elbe', Dresden's baroque heart was flattened in 1945 and painstakingly rebuilt stone by stone. Today the reconstructed Frauenkirche, the Zwinger palace and Old Master galleries make it one of Germany's most beautiful cities.
Top sightsSights
Frauenkirche
The domed baroque church rebuilt from rubble as a symbol of reconciliation.
Zwinger Palace
A baroque pleasure palace housing Old Master paintings and porcelain.
Semperoper
The lavish opera house on the Theaterplatz.
Brühl’s Terrace
The "Balcony of Europe" promenade above the Elbe.
Fürstenzug mural
A 102-meter porcelain-tile mural of Saxon rulers.
What to eatFood
Dresdner Christstollen
The famous buttery fruit-and-marzipan Christmas loaf.
Sauerbraten
Marinated pot roast with red cabbage and dumplings.
Eierschecke
A Saxon three-layer custard cheesecake.
Good to know
- Combine Dresden with a trip to nearby Saxon Switzerland’s sandstone cliffs.
- The Zwinger galleries are worth a half day on their own.
- The Striezelmarkt is one of Germany’s oldest Christmas markets.
Getting there
Dresden Airport (DRS) has regional flights; fast trains link Berlin in under two hours and Prague south of the border.
Next city
Berlin