Do-it-yourself Dresden, Germany
Sights
Free DRESDEN
(1) For a bargain tour of the Old Town, set off on my do-it-yourself orientation tour, Market Square to Europe’s Balcony (see below). Mosey through the Zwinger and along its upper-level promenade; admire the splendor of the gardens and peek into the museums. If you time it just right, you’ll hear the chiming of the Glockenspielpavillon. Note that the next three entries, the Brühlsche Terrasse and Hofkirche and Frauenkirche, are also part of my DIY orientation tour.
(2) A trip to Dresden wouldn’t be complete without a stroll along Dresden’s romantic river esplanade, the Brühlsche Terrasse. Here you’ll get a heavy dose of the city’s Baroque grandeur as well as an overview of the world’s oldest paddle-steamer fleet.
(3) Tours (albeit in German) are gratis at the Hofkirche. What’s more, this Roman Catholic church also offers a free organ recitalevery Wed and Sat 11:30-12:00.
(4) Dresden’s most magnificent church, thus its most visited, the Frauenkirche, is also free to enter and part of my DIY orientation tour of the Old Town.
(5) Watch cars being assembled at the glass-encased VW Transparent Factory. Neighboring the factory is a pleasant opportunity for a picnic and a leafy stroll in the extensive Großer Garten, which offers a 17th-century palace, the city zoo, and a mini railway.
(6) Architects and inquisitive-types will admire the Regenwasserspiel, a network of aluminum pipes, funnels and guttering attached to the decorative facade of an apartment block, creating the unique “rain water fountain” (see Kunsthofpassage).
(7) Germany's premier Military History Museum recently opened (mid-Oct) and is well worth a visit, even for non-military buffs. An audio guide is not necessary since the museum is comprehensively described in English. Admission is free through December 2011, open Mon 10:00-21:00, Thur-Tue 10:00-18:00, Wed closed. To get there, ride tram 7 or 8 to Stauffenbergallee (exit tram right, go left up the four steps, mosey along the tree-lined path, passing the Soviet monument, straight to the museum). Allow at least 2 hours for a visit (military buffs can spend half a day here).
(8) Feast your eyes on the world’s most beautiful milk shop (see Pfund’s Molkerei).
(9) The World War II firebombing of Dresden (Feb 13-14, 1945) claimed the lives of some 25,000 civilians. 
Visit the site where the majority of these people are buried. The site, a mass grave, is peacefully set in a wooded area belonging to the Heidefriedhof (cemetery) and marked by an official memorial (pictured) honoring the sacrifice of all those who died that fateful day. The memorial reads: “How many died? Who knows the total? Your wounds reveal the suffering of the nameless. The ones who burned here in a hellish fire orchestrated by man.” GPS: N51 06.268 E13 42.564. To get there, first take tram 3 (direction Wilder Mann) to Wilder Mann, the last stop. From here, amble to the adjacent bus stop and catch bus 457 or 80 up the hill a couple of stops to Heidefriedhof. Across the street is the cemetery; check bus return times to coordinate your pick-up. The memorial is situated at the back right of the cemetery. Nearby is another thought-provoking memorial, this one is circular with a dish at its core for holding a flame, encompassed by the names of concentration camps and massacres instigated by the Nazis. To find it, with your back to the firebombing memorial, walk straight ahead.
Note: The updated 2011 guide is no longer available for download (The updated 2012 guide will soon be released in February)
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DO-IT-YOURSELF DRESDEN TOUR
Market Square to Europe's Balcony—2 hours
As its name suggests, this tour will familiarize you with many of Dresden’s most important sites in about two hours. Hang with me while I point these sites out; visit those of interest after the tour. En route I’ve listed three toilet locations, printed in bold. Okay, ready? Let’s begin our jaunt through Dresden at Theaterplatz (trams 4, 8 and 9 stop here), an immense cobbled plaza in the heart of the Old Town. In the center of the square is an equestrian statue of Saxon King Johann, who ruled from 1854 to 1873. Stand behind him and face the horse’s buttocks. From this unflattering perspective let’s get acquainted with the sites around you by pretending the horse’s backside is high noon (12:00) on a clock dial.
Looking slightly left, or counterclockwise, to 11:00 is the Hofkirche’s sullied and curvaceous facade—if you were to walk around the edifice and count each holy figure, you’d total 78. But don’t start tallying now, we’ll visit the church later in the tour.
At 9:00 is the elongated Little Italian Village (Italienisches Dörfchen) named after the gathering of cottages here in the mid-18th century that housed teams of Italian laborers who helped erect the Hofkirche and other monumental buildings of the time. Featuring white-arched windows and eight Ionic-style columns at its main entrance, the Little Italian Village today is not the home of builders but of a mouth-watering and highly decorative cluster of gastronomic possibilities, e.g. café, bistro, beer hall-garden, and a fine restaurant. You’ve done well if you procure a table on the balcony above the columns. (You can read more about the “Village” here.)
At 6:00, behind you, is the city’s signature landmark, the Saxon State Opera House, which is called the Semperoper after its creator, Gottfried Semper.
Turning to 3:00 is Dresden’s renowned museum quarter, the Zwinger (our next stop).
At 1:00 is the neoclassic Schinkelwache, former Altstadt guardhouse, where you’ll find a café, the Semperoper’s box office, and the visitor’s center for all of the palaces and castles and royal gardens in Saxony (Mon-Fri 10:00-18:00, Sat-Sun 10:00-17:00, tel. 0351/4383-70316, www.schloesserland-sachsen.de). Here you can learn about new destinations to discover, such as “escape-proof” Colditz castle, which served as a prison for Allied officers during World War II. Pick up the free booklet listing Saxony’s cultural highlights: “A trip fit for a king.” (Note: At the visitor’s center you can also procure a city map for .10¢, purchase the Dresden welcome cards as well as the week and year passes valid for free admission into all of Saxony’s heritage properties.)
Concluding our 360-degree spin is the pointy Hausmannsturm, the soot-stained clock tower seen beyond the statue of Johann. Notice the gilded balustrade enclosing its observation terrace; consider this to be your vantage point after our tour is over (I’ll walk you by its entrance later).
Now let’s turn our attention back to 3:00. Walk through the arched passage to familiarize yourself with the Zwinger museum quarter.
Midway through the passage are two portals; the one on the left leads into the Armory (Rüstkammer), and on your right is arguably Dresden’s finest museum, the Old Masters’ Gallery (Gemäldegalerie. If you were to go inside then right and downstairs you’d find the cashier, gift shop, lockers, cloakroom, typically a throng of people, and free toilets). Continue straight and descend five steps, stopping on the wide landing. If you were standing here a decade ago, rising floodwaters would have been splashing at your toes. That’s because in August 2002 the Elbe River reached a record height of 31 feet and the Zwinger narrowly avoided a third-millennium washout.
Continue down the remainder of the steps, walk into the middle of the grounds and stop between the four fountains. (Note: The fountains will not be in operation if it’s windy.)
Welcome to the Zwinger’s lively gardens, encompassed by three world-class museums (Armory, Old Masters’ Gallery, Porcelain Collection), an intimate grotto and an upper-level promenade. Note: Due to ongoing renovations the (museum) Mathematics-Physics Salon normally housed here is closed until 2012.
(Using the same clock-dial analogy as on Theaterplatz:) In front of you, at 12:00, is the aptly named Kronentor, or Crown Gate, a beautifully Baroque gateway capped by a golden crown. Intersecting its arches is the upper-level promenade—a stroller’s delight.
Now turn right to 3:00. One way you could reach the promenade is via the stairway rising inside this bulbous, two-story pavilion.
Cast your eyes farther right to 5:00. If you were to climb this staircase, you would discover the must-see water grotto, where 16 nymphs in niches encompass a romantic fountain.
Swivel right a bit more to 6:00 to where you entered the Zwinger complex—here you should have King Johann neatly framed within the middle arch.
Finally, rotate right once more to 9:00 to the harmonious Glockenspielpavillon, which features a gilded clock that generates a mesmerizing melody originating from 40 bells made of Meissen Porcelain. They’re hanging either side of the clock and chime every 15 minutes as well as play a classical tune thrice daily: 10:15, 14:15, 18:15. (I don’t know about you, but hammering bells made of porcelain seems like an awful idea—but, hey, it works, wonderfully.) The first tune (10:15) is always a rendition of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons. What’s more, the Glockenspielpavillon is where you’ll find the entrance into the Porcelain Collection and a stairway (with 33 steps) climbing to the upper-level promenade.
Head towards the Glockenspielpavillon to exit the Zwinger complex. As you move closer you’ll get a better look at the 40 Meissen bells as well as a peek into the Porcelain Collection (through the windows either side of you). To get an idea of how Saxony’s fashionable monarch, Augustus the Strong, was feeling during the Zwinger’s construction, eyeball the silly-to-salacious facial expressions on the six male figures, three on either column, beneath the bells.
Midway through the passage are inscriptions on the walls. To your right words narrate the Zwinger’s construction. To your left heavy language from the Soviet propaganda machine dictate its destruction and reconstruction: “On February 13, 1945, British and American bombers annihilated much of central Dresden, including the Zwinger.” (Note: One main reason Dresden was bombed on February 13-14, 1945, was to help divert, and or destroy, Nazi resources and supply lines from and before reaching the Eastern Front. Not only were the Soviets aware of the planned bombing of Dresden, they condoned and encouraged it!) “On May 8, 1945, the Soviet army liberated the city of Dresden from fascist tyranny. Not long thereafter, the newly formed democratic city administration, together with Soviet command, began preparations for the Zwinger’s reconstruction. From 1945 to 1964, the Zwinger was rebuilt to its former grandeur with the power of the workers and farmers…” (And fittingly propped above the bogus narration is the sarcastic facial grin of one of Augustus’ comics.)
Exit the Zwinger, cross the road and tram tracks when clear, then dart left and make the first right on (street) Taschenberg. Coming up (right) is the 5-star Grand Hotel Taschenberg Palais (www.kempinski-dresden.de), which originally dates from 1705 when Augustus the Strong had the palace built for his 19-year-old mistress, Anna Constantia, Countess of Cosel. Today, royalty is not a requirement to reside here, just a fat wallet. Heads of state also qualify, such as Barack Obama who stayed here June 4, 2009. Consequently, central Dresden was split into three security zones; all buildings and attractions in the Old Town (e.g. everything listed in this DIY tour) were off-limits for two days, even the manholes were monitored. The next morning, June 5, the president sauntered across the street (to your left) to the Dresdner Schloss to meet Germany’s chancellor, Angela Merkel, and tour the Historic Green Vault. (It was convenient for Obama to use this entrance into the Schloss but I’ll walk you past the new entrance shortly.) While in the Green Vault Obama signed the city’s Golden Book (Goldene Buch der Stadt) reserved for visiting VIPs. In it he wrote: “Greetings from the people of the United States.” (If you’d like to see the book and signature, see Dresden Rathaus.) Meanwhile, the locals were holding a “Welcome-Party Mr. President” on Altmarkt square (just outside security zone 3) where a large stage was erected, dance and music acts performed, together with mock bull riding and cheerleader drills, and live coverage of Obama’s visit was televised on a giant 40-square-meter (430 sq ft) LED screen. (I’ll point out Altmarkt square to you after our next stop, in a just a few minutes.)
Continue straight ahead; bounce beneath the overhead passage and at the next corner stop. (If you were able to continue straight through the construdtion zone, you’d first arrive at the Transport Museum then the QF shopping mall next to the Frauenkirche, our last destinations.) In a few minutes we’ll follow the cobbled road left, but for now go right some 50 meters and face the faded mural stamped onto the upper level of the elongated building. 
This structure is called the Kulturpalast, or Palace of Culture, built from 1967-1969 by the former East German regime as a theater and concert hall for the great citizens of Dresden, or Arbeiter und Bauer (workers and farmers), as they were more commonly labeled. The peoples are collectively represented on this propaganda mural known as Der Weg der Roten Fahne (The Path of the Red Flag). It is a stark reminder of the city’s socialist past. Clearly visible (right of center) is the GDR state insignia, a hammer and compass framed by a wreath of wheat. The Soviet hammer and sickle is also evident. You’ll see Vladimir Lenin standing next to it with his fist raised. To Lenin’s far right (your left) Karl Marx stands holding a paper next to armed loyalists. At the time, the fabrication of the Kulturpalast, together with the mural, was hailed by party officials as an architectural triumph. Today, the interior has been renovated and the structure is similarly used as an entertainment center, with the addition of lecture and conference rooms and a multifunctional business center. At the heart of the building is a tiered concert hall that has seating for 2,435 of us. Since 1969, the Kulturpalast has been home to the Dresden Philharmonic Orchestra (www.kulturpalast-dresden.de, tel. 0351/486-6666). But other musical varieties appear here too, like Michael Bolton (June 24, 20:00, tickets from 34€), Oscar-winning actor Kevin Costner and his band “Modern West” (Sept 16, 20:00, tickets from 42€), and soft-rock singer Chris de Burgh (Oct 3, 20:00, tickets from 45€); check the box office to see what’s happening during your stay.
With the mural in front of you, to your right is the expansive Altmarkt, or Old Market Square, home to the Striezelmarkt, Germany’s oldest Christmas market, dating from 1434. Facing the old square from its west (right) side is the Altmarkt Galerie, a popular shopping mall. And if you were to continue straight through Old Market Square you’d reach Prager Strasse, the pedestrian-only shopping street running into the main train station locally known as the Hauptbahnhof.
Back at the Kulturpalast, positioned in its right corner you’ll see the tourist information office. This would be a good time to stop by for a free city map or the “Dresdner Linien” brochure (to help you better navigate the public transportation network), or to ask whatever questions you may have, or to purchase the Dresden Card.
Retrace your steps and head towards the church steeple with its golden cross. The building complex in front of you is the central part of the Dresdner Schloss, which has just undergone major renovations owing to the 1945 firebombing and had consequently been covered with scaffolding from 1990 till 2006. Returning visitors to Dresden will be delighted to see the finished product. (Note that the Dresdner Schloss as a whole is the city’s largest reconstruction project, slated for completion in the year 2013 at a total cost of 500€ million.)
The construction zone on the right will yield multiple shops and the 235-room Swissôtel built within historic facades. Coming up on your left is the Löwentor, or Lions’ Gate, named on account of the big cats watching from above. As of February 2009, this is the new entrance into the Dresdner Schloss, leading visitors into a charming courtyard beneath a bubbled roof. You’ll see people streaming in and out largely owing to the popularity of the aforementioned Green Vaults, as well as the free toilets inside (straight through and downstairs). Consider returning here after our tour to climb the Hausmannsturm for the ultimate orientation of the Old Town.
Continue straight ahead into the passageway; midway through (right) is the entrance into the handsome Stallhof, former home of the royal stables. Visitors here in December will be treated to the Advent Spektakel, a Renaissance-themed Christmas market.
Once through the passageway you’ll arrive in Schlossplatz, or Palace Square. From your new location, in front of you, at 12:00, is Augustus’ Bridge spanning the Elbe connecting the Old Town with the New Town. (In a few minutes you’ll have a better view from the Brühlsche Terrasse.) At 9:00 is the entrance into the Hofkirche, which I’ll tell you more about below. Turning back to Augustus’ Bridge, to its right at 1:00 is a wide staircase climbing onto the must-stroll Brühlsche Terrasse (which we’ll visit shortly). Over your right shoulder begins the decorative Procession of Nobles, or Fürstenzug. 
A bit longer than a football field, the Procession of Nobles qualifies as the world’s largest painting on porcelain. The animated figures on horseback depict successive generations of Saxony’s dynastic royal family, Wettin, beginning with Konrad der Grosse (1127) and ending with brothers Albert and Georg (1873). Also present are artists, students, professors, soldiers, tradesmen, and Wilhelm Walther. He is the first person on our end (taller man with beard) and was the historical painter who in 1876 originally completed the sgraffito artwork here before it was repainted in 1907 on the 25,000 tiles of Meissen Porcelain before you. The final process required that the tiles be heated three times in a kiln to extreme temperatures between 1,500-2,000ºF. No wonder the Fürstenzug survived the World War II firebombing nearly unscathed; only a few hundred tiles needed replacing. A few feet in front of Walther are two little boys and a girl, the only female represented. While walking with the procession toward the Frauenkirche (large domed church), look for Augustus the Strong (Augustus II, 1694-1733), the authoritative figure seen atop a powerful horse rearing up on its hind legs. He’s the Saxon monarch, if you don’t already know, who is responsible for much of Dresden’s grand heritage as well as bringing porcelain to Europe. Lastly, spearheading the procession, a band leader proudly conducts the tempo. Can ya feel the beat?
When ready, sashay over to the Hofkirche (visiting hours Mon-Thur 9:00-17:00, Fri 13:00-17:00, Sat 10:00-17:00, Sun 12:00-16:00, www.kathedrale-dresden.de). 
Although a small minority of Dresdners are Catholic (large majority are Protestant, as is the whole of Northern Germany), the second biggest church in town belongs to this faithful but diminutive group. Also referred to as the Kathedrale, the Hofkirche was built in Baroque style from 1739 to 1751. (The graphic is of a 56-cent postage stamp released by the Deutsche Post in June 2001 celebrating 250 years of the Hofkirche.) Ornamenting the Hofkirche’s curvaceous exterior are 78 holy figures perched upon balustrades, and rising 86 meters into the sky is its three-tiered wedding-cake-like steeple (an even more spectacular sight at night when it’s floodlit). At the rear of the church you’ll see a skywalk connecting it with the Dresdner Schloss, allowing Saxony’s then-Catholic royal family to avoid commoners when hoofing it to Mass. Inside this Roman Catholic church is vast and impressive. Perched above the rear of the central nave is the 3,000-pipe Silbermann organ (1755), named after its creator and made from pine and oak wood. You can hear its mesmerizing melody every Wed & Sat from 11:30 to 12:00 when the organist plays a free recital. Also at the rear of the church is an abstract representation of the Pietá, created by local artist Friedrich Press using only Meissen Porcelain, to remember those who perished during the 1945 firebombing of Dresden. Left of the altar, beneath the Sakramentskapelle, is the *crypt accommodating 47 sarcophagi of the Saxon royal family, Wettin, including a vessel containing the heart of Augustus the Strong (the king loved Dresden so much he left his heart here; two centuries later Tony Bennett jumped on the bandwagon and tunefully left his heart in San Francisco)—the rest of the king’s remains are kept in Krakow, Poland. *Visits into the crypt are only possible witha free (45 min) German tour. Tour times are posted outside the entrance door but run typically Mon-Thur 14:00, Fri-Sat 13:00 & 14:00, Sun 13:00; donations welcome.
From the Hofkirche bounce across the plaza and up the broad flight of (41) steps to the Brühlsche Terrasse. At the top a serene forest of lindens provide cool sanctuary on hot summer days and stand leafless in winter like brittle skeletons. In 1739, minister Brühl transformed this section of Dresden’s outmoded fortified wall into a self-serving aristocratic promenade. Some 75 years later, in 1814, the broad stairway you just climbed was added to make the esplanade accessible to the public. Ecstatic, locals referred to their new riverside promenade as “Europe’s balcony.”
Go left to the railing and face the river. Beneath you the Elbe flows some 724 miles, originating in the Czech Republic and traversing through Germany before dumping into the North Sea at Cuxhaven. But more importantly the next major town it will meet is Meissen, renowned for its exquisite porcelain. If interested, you can catch a lift there with one of the historic boats moored below you. These belong to the world’s largest and oldest paddle-steamer fleet, dating from 1879. (Read their histories and details here.) At the far end of Augustus’ Bridge you’ll see the gleaming, glistening Golden Rider, a larger-than-life equestrian statue of—yep, you guessed it—Augustus the Strong. Doused in gold and memorialized before his namesake bridge, Augustus would be proud of this heroic likeness ceremoniously unveiled in 1736, three years after his death. The Golden Rider faces Hauptstrasse, New Town’s main pedestrian promenade that is flanked by shops, cafés, restaurants and the Church of the Three Kings, whose climbable steeple is seen majestically (above the gilded Augustus) reaching toward the angels.
New Town, or Neustadt, isn’t all that new. The borough on the north bank of the Elbe, opposite you now, was ravaged by fire in 1685 and subsequently rebuilt with the adopted name Neue Stadt bei Dresden (New Town near Dresden). The borough was granted city rights as early as 1403; however it was always in the shadows of the royal palace (Dresdner Schloss) on the south bank. Today, the once neglected borough has been transformed into a vital part of Dresden, maintaining its own history, sprawling cityscape, and diverse nightlife from gritty to tasteful. Neustadt boasts more than 130 pubs, clubs and restaurants, principally on graffiti-swathed Louisen, Alaun and Görlitzer streets. And since New Town wasn’t in the crosshairs of World War II bombardiers, most neighborhoods are in their original 18th- and 19th-century condition.
Leave your front-row position and continue walking along the promenade. On the left is the recommended Radeberger Spezialausschank (daily 10:00-24:00, tel. 0351/484-8660), meaning exclusive inn home to the golden Radeberger. Its summer terrace is a superlative locale to consume the sights of Dresden together with delectable Saxon cuisine (such as potato soup and crispy pork knuckle). Firehouse steps drop from the terrace into the restaurant proper then continue to a snug bar on the bottom level, where old-world décor sets off the four copper vats containing umpteen gallons of the local brew, (unfiltered) Radeberger pilsner, that makes patrons sampling the amber nectar very happy, indeed.
As you roll forward on the Brühlsche Terrasse, and down the seven steps, count two bridges ahead (second bridge is hidden behind the first) and this is where you need to be Saturday morning, when one of Germany’s best flea markets is open for business.
On the other side of the monument in front of you (honoring the local sculptor Ernst Rietschels) pull up to the railing and face forward. Look to the loopholes for cannons and muskets slotted into the bastion opposite. During the Renaissance (16C), the Brühlsche Terrasse was a defensive rampart used in the fortification of the city. Meaning that beneath your feet are vaulted cellars and concealed casemates formerly used by the local guard. Today, much of this subterranean labyrinth has been converted into the Festung Dresden (Fortress Dresden) museum and the included audio guide makes it worthwhile to tour. Although not viewable, it was also here (in the Jungfernbastei) that alchemist Johann Böttger uncovered the secret to Chinese porcelain in 1707, hence the birth of Europe’s first porcelain manufacturer in Meissen. In more recent times, parts of the rampart were used as air-raid shelters during World War II. (Allow 30 min to visit Festung Dresden, daily 10:00-18:00, Nov-March till 17:00. Priceincludes audio guide, adult 4€, student 2€, Dresden Card holder 3.60€.)
If you were to go to the Festung Dresden museum from here, you’d make a right past the loopholed bastion and descend the steps to its entrance at the bottom.
For now walk with the railing along the promenade and stop at the manhole cover just before the cobbled section framing the modern metallic ball. At the center of the cover you’ll see the word Landeshauptstadt, meaning “provincial capital.” Below it is the city’s coat of arms, dating from 1309. The lion symbolizes the margraves of Meissen, who founded Dresden way back in the early 13th century. The two pales represent the Saxony-Anhalt region of Landsberg, formerly controlled by the margraves. At the top of the cover it reads, Eisenhammer-Dresden.
Leap straight across the cobbled section to the next manhole cover. Hardly as decorative, and therefore not surprising, this was “Made in GDR.” 
Oddly, all the manhole covers you have just walked past are contemporary castings, and all the manhole covers from this point forward were made in the former East Germany. Talk about an East-West divide. Geesh! Notice the symbol above the Made in GDR text: a crescent-shaped E connected to a hammer connected to another crescent forming a D. During the city’s socialist era this was the logo for Eisenhammer-Dresden, a local foundry dating from 1789.
We’re going to exit the Brühlsche Terrasse via the stairway to your right, but first I want to say that if you were to continue marching forward the next grand building along is the Academy of Fine Arts (with its stunning glass dome and winged angel locally referred to as the “lemon squeezer”) followed by Festung Dresden (downstairs) and the Albertinum museum complex parked at the end of the promenade. (Check out these sites when time is best on your side.)
Go right and down the stairway. At the bottom is Münzgasse; bounce up this bustling lane flanked by a bevy of popular cafés and restaurants to the heavenly…
Frauenkirche, or Church of Our Lady, www.frauenkirche-dresden.de, GPS: N51 03.145 E13 44.434, visiting hours Mon-Fri 10:00-12:00 & 13:00-18:00, less on weekends because of Mass, weddings, baptisms, concerts. 
Entry into the church and crypt is free but donations encouraged; 45-min audio guide 2.50€. Climb its dome (Mon-Sat 10:00-16:00, March-Oct till 18:00, and Sun 12:30-16:00, March-Oct till 18:00) for sensational views of central Dresden: first elevator then steep steps combined with a spiraling ramp (on way down no elevator, instead 263 steps), adult 8€, student 5€. Note: The 25-min film focusing on the rebuilding of the Frauenkirche (shown hourly at the church’s visitor center in the Kulturpalast, 15 min before the hour, 9:45-16:45) is recommended for 2€/person (Dresden Card holder 1€) but to get an English viewing can be tough (depending on how many Germans are waiting to see it); just ask the cashier and if possible he/she will give you a special showing. (See film first before visiting church.)
Masterfully built in just 17 years (1726-43) as a monument to Protestant faith, this divine structure’s magnificent bell-like Baroque dome, reaching 95 meters, dominated the city skyline for more than two centuries. (At 1.5 meters thick, the Frauenkirche’s dome was often referred to as the “Bell of Stone”—look to the mammoth-sized section out front, which remains from the ’45 firestorm.) Alas, the Frauenkirche was reduced to a smoldering ruin in the fiery aftermath of the World War II Allied air campaign over Dresden, remaining a (12-meter-high) pile of rubble for some 50 years. The East German socialists, whose GDR government chronologically followed Hitler’s fascists, left the church a wreck as a so-called memorial to the victims who died in the bombings. In 1991, after the collapse of Eastern-bloc Communism and the reunification of Germany, it was decided to rebuild the Frauenkirche. 
Full-scale renovations began; many of the original stone blocks were pulled from the rubble and sorted, numbered and, with the help of computer imaging, put back in their correct positions. Today, on the Frauenkirche’s freckled facade, the original seared blocks are easy to spot. (Also from the mound of rubble workers pulled a sizeable metal cross so disfigured that it could not be mended; you can see it inside the church by the exit and audio-guide rental.) With donations (mostly private) from around the world ringing up to the total of *170€ million, the Frauenkirche was finally completed mid-summer 2005 and consecrated a few months later with terrific fanfare on October 30. (*Names of the principal donors are on the wall in the stairwell of the crypt as well as in front of the pews.) To show unity, the newly handcrafted cross atop the church was shaped by the son of a Royal Air Force pilot (who had bombed the city) and donated by Britain’s “Dresden Trust.” The graphic is of a 55-cent postage stamp released by the Deutsche Post in October 2005 to commemorate the reconstruction and consecration “Weihe” of the Frauenkirche.
Continuing in the same direction (up from Münzgasse), gallop straight ahead past the Frauenkirche. Swing right, with the QF shopping mall on your right, and skip straight to the Transport Museum, our last stop. Three top things about the Transport Museum: 1) its exhibition, 2) its free toilets just inside and on the right, 3) its 45-min special-feature film on Dresden past and present.
Transport Museum, locally Verkehrs Museum, (Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00, adult 4.50€, student/senior 2.50€, Dresden Card holder 3.50€, family 11€, www.verkehrsmuseum-dresden.de). Parked next to the Frauenkirche in a historic Renaissance edifice dating from 1586 is an enormous collection of ingenious wheels and wings at the appealing Transport Museum. In several halls on multiple floors are decades of innovation and invention, from classic automobiles to aviation and shipping to old-timer trolley cars and coal-burning locomotives, with emphasis given to East German, in particular Saxon, developments. 
Consequently, during the days of the former GDR, the exhibition grew exponentially to showcase the successes and technological achievements of the era, thus the museum is in itself a museum of Soviet and socialist design and pioneering. The model railway upstairs especially draws an elated sparkle in the eyes of children. This hefty railway set is one of the largest in Europe, consisting of 625 meters of track, 26 locomotives, 115 wagons and 5 stations. Because of the railway’s age, delicate precision and parts, it is only in operation on select days and times (check ahead for latest schedule). Another museum highlight (included with museum admission) is the engrossing 45-minute film (showing 11:00, 12:00, 13:00, 14:00, 15:00, 16:00 and 17:00) on the top floor entitled: “Dresden—Old Splendor and New Shine” (Alte Pracht und neuer Glanz). Although this black-and-white film is in German, the images speak for themselves. They will journey you back to the grandeur of Dresden at the turn of the century, through the evolution of the 1920s and ’30s, the devastating war years and firebombing, the rebuilding of a socialist city in the ’50s and ’60s, and life behind the Iron Curtain when the film converts to color and concludes with the rebuilding of the Frauenkirche and the capitalistic majesty of Baroque Dresden in modern times.
Toilets are free and conveniently located just inside the Transport Museum’s main entrance (once through the doorway go right). I say “convenient” because you now know these are here for later when you’re milling about the Old Town. A free toilet in Europe is a precious commodity, indeed!
That’s a wrap, folks! I hope you enjoyed our tour together and now have a better feel for Dresden. If you’re at odds with what to do next, head back to the Dresdner Schloss and climb the Hausmannsturm to get an overview of the city and a bevy of panoramic views. But first you may want to reward yourself with a lip-smacking scoop of Italian ice cream at Gelateria Bellagio on the lower floor of the QF shopping mall.
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(This page was last updated June 2011)
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