Dresden, the capital of the state of Saxony, is located along the Elbe river in the former East Germany. It is a major tourist attraction due to its baroque and rococo historic centre, one of the most beautiful ones in Germany. The city's origins can be traced back to the 13th century when Dietrich, Margrave of Meissen, chose Dresden as his residence. Later Dresden became the capital and royal residence of the Electors and Kings of Saxony, who over the centuries added impressive buildings to the city. Most of the most significant palaces and churches of Dresden date back to the 18th century. Due to its impressive architecture Dresden was called the Florence of the Elbe. The entire historic centre of Dresden was almost completely destroyed by a controversial Allied aerial bombing in 1945. Most of what is visible today has been reconstructed after the war and the reconstruction effort is still continuing. Some of the historic buildings were replaced by modern buildings ("socialist realism" architecture) in the post-war period. The historic centre of Dresden together with the Elbe valley has been a UNESCO world heritage site since 2004.
Zwinger photo gallery  - 10 pictures of Zwinger
Theaterplatz photo gallery  - 8 pictures of Theaterplatz
10 photos of the Zwinger, a beautiful Rococo-style palace and major tourist attraction in Dresden
8 photos of Theaterplarz in Dresden, where some of the major landmarks of Dresden are located
Dresden castle photo gallery  - 14 pictures of Dresden castle
Academy of Fine Arts photo gallery  - 9 pictures of Academy of Fine Arts
Frauenkirche photo gallery  - 14 pictures of Frauenkirche
14 photos of the castle of Dresden, the residence of the kings of Saxony along the Elbe river
9 photos of the Dresden academy of fine arts along the Elbe river
14 photos of the Frauenkirche, a Lutheran church in Dresden with a characteristic bell shape
Altmarkt and Neumarkt photo gallery  - 10 pictures of Altmarkt and Neumarkt
Around Prager street photo gallery  - 11 pictures of Around Prager street
10 photos of the Altmarkt and Neumarkt, two significant squares in Dresden's historic core
11 photos of Prager street, a pedestrian zone and main shopping area in Dresden
Around the Elbe river photo gallery  - 9 pictures of Around the Elbe river
Views and skylines photo gallery  - 10 pictures of Views and skylines
9 photos of the river banks of the Elbe in Dresden
10 photos of skylines and views of Dresden
Russian Orthodox church photo gallery  - 5 pictures of Russian Orthodox church
Pillnitz castle photo gallery  - 4 pictures of Pillnitz castle
5 photos of the Russian Orthodox church in Dresden, built between 1872 and 1874
4 photos of the baroque Pillnitz castle near Dresden along the Elbe river
Gallery with all images
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Related travelogues
  • Dresden 2012: three days spent visiting Dresden, a city with an impressive cultural heritage in Saxony on the Elbe river
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