Self-guided Dresden, Germany
On this page are the following sections:
More Sights, Old Town (Altstadt)
More Sights, New Town (Neustadt)
Even More Sights, around town & beyond
Best Views
More Sights, Old Town (Altstadt)
Semperoper: One of Dresden’s grand landmarks is its State Opera House, called the Semperoper, completed in 1841 by the celebrated architect Gottfried Semper, designer of several elaborate buildings on Vienna’s beloved Ringstrasse. 
The Semperoper opened with great fanfare to three world premiers by Richard Wagner: “Rienzi” (1842), “The Flying Dutchman” (1843), and “Tannhäuser” (1845). Alas, the opera house was gutted by fire in 1869. Gottfried’s son, Manfred, finished the reconstruction eight years later in Italian Renaissance-style. The opera house was yet again reduced to ash during the February 1945 firebombing—and brought back to life in February 1985, on the 40th anniversary of the Allied attack. Today, the Semperoper is one of Europe’s finest opera houses and features leading opera and ballet productions as well as classical concerts. Tickets: Order from website: www.semperoper.de, or by phone: 0351/491-1705, or go to the Opernkasse (box office) at the Schinkelwache (neoclassic structure on south side of Theaterplatz). CC: VC, MC. Prices run about 20-120€ for seats, from 5.50€ for Höreplatz (“hear seat”; you have a seat but you can only hear the performance, not see it); or 6-14€ for standing room (called Stehplatz, but this is only offered at the opera house when the show is sold out and sales begin 60 min before the start of the performance). You can also buy tickets (if available) directly from the evening box office (locally Abendkasse) at the opera house one hour before each performance. Note: There are no performances from mid-July thru end of August. Another way to admire the sumptuous interior of the Semperoper is to take the bilingual 45-min tour (see TI or Opernkasse box office at the Schinkelwache for details): adult 8€, student 4€, family 18€, discount with Dresden Card. Purchase tickets at entrance prior to tour. Enter on Elbe side (when facing opera house from Theaterplatz, the entry doors are on right side under arched passageway). Tour times frequently change according to season. For current schedule inquire at TI, or call 0351/796-6305, or go to www.semperoper-erleben.de.
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New Synagogue: Gottfried Semper, architect of the above-listed opera house, designed the original synagogue in 1838. 
Exactly one century later the Nazis set fire to the sacred structure during what became infamously known as Kristallnacht, or Night of Broken Glass (Nov 9, 1938), in a multiphase plan to eradicate Dresden’s 6,000-member Jewish community. Sixty-three years later (Nov 2001) on the anniversary of its destruction, the New Synagogue (costing 11€ million) was unveiled. The modest cube-like structure consists of giant-sized stone blocks cemented in a slight twisting pattern “to turn the direction of prayer to the east.” The only original artifact to survive the Semper synagogue is the golden Star of David, which was salvaged and hidden by Dresden firefighter Alfred Neugebauer and returned to the Jewish community after the war. The star is now mounted at the New Synagogue’s main entrance. Standing opposite is the Gemeinde Haus, the administration center for Dresden’s existing 550-member Jewish community. In the courtyard between the two buildings is a steel frame fixed into the ground marking the original site of the Semper synagogue. Tours of the New Synagogue (only Mon-Thur, duration 60 min, adult 4€, student 2.50€, arranged by HATiKVA, www.hatikva.de) are in German a few times per week; for English call ahead (Tuesday only 10:00-12:00 & 13:00-15:00), tel. 0351/656-8825. Note: Men are required to wear a skullcap. For info on the Old Jewish Cemetery, click here. To get there, the New Synagogue is located at the eastern end of the Brühlsche Terrasse; reach it by foot or take tram 3 or 7 to Synagogue. Across the boulevard, notice the Soviet-style tenements (now renovated) so typical of the GDR era.
Yendize: Punctuating the skyline northwest of the Old Town like an architectural exclamation point, the Yendize minarets suggest a piece of the Orient. But from this mosque-like edifice the muezzin is not calling faithful Muslims to prayer; it was originally used as a tobacco warehouse by the Yendize cigarette company (from 1907). The Arabesque structure today is still referred to as the Yendize but business offices and a restaurant have replaced the stockpiles of Turkish blend.
Dresden Rathaus, or City Hall, a monumental structure adorning the cityscape since 1910 (rebuilt in 1952 following its destruction during World War II), is the home office to the elected officials and their staff who govern the Saxon capital. Upon the laying of the foundation stone in 1905, the then Lord Mayor Gustav Beutler declared City Hall to be “…a safe haven for order, justice and freedom.” A motto staunchly adhered to today within this massive complex constituting two city blocks and six inner courtyards, one of which (called the Lichthof, or “courtyard of light”) is covered by a glass roof allowing natural light to illuminate the interior, including the large city model permanently on display here and the regularly changing exhibitions (often in English) narrating city history and planning. 
Prominently poised in the garden before City Hall is a bronze statue (since 1952) of a Trümmerfrau (pictured) honoring the innumerable women who tirelessly helped remove the mountains of rubble from the city after World War II. (Note: Since most German men at the end of the war were either dead, dying, wounded or imprisoned, the back-breaking labors of clearing the heaping war-time debris from German cities largely fell to the women, individually known as a Trümmerfrau, or “rubble woman.”) Rising above City Hall like a keep from a castle, its 100-meter tower is easily accessed via two elevators arriving at the recommended viewing terrace opening to breathtaking views of Dresden and afar. (For more details, see City Hall Tower.) Besides free toilets (ground floor), another Rathaus attraction that may interest you is the city’s Golden Book, locally Goldene Buch der Stadt, which was signed by President Obama during his visit to Dresden, June 2009. (For more on Obama’s trip and what he wrote in the book, click here.) I’ve arranged with Ursula-Helga Hermann, an assistant to the Lord Mayor who was kind enough to give me her contact details, for you to get an exclusive viewing of the book (providing it’s not elsewhere in the city being signed by a VIP). Contact Frau Hermann a few days (or a week if possible) in advance to give her time to set up the viewing; via email: Uhermann1@dresden.de, or tel. 0351/488-2875. To reach her office: enter Rathaus, take elevator (push 2) to 2nd floor, then open door to rooms 14-19 and ask for Frau Ursula-Helga Hermann. (Note: Little English spoken.) To get there, the main entrance into the Rathaus is located at Dr.-Külz-Ring 19, within a 15-min walk of either the Frauenkirche or Hauptbahnhof. (If you’re facing the “rubble woman,” the main Rathaus entrance is to her right around corner of building.) After entering you’ll find the reception desk straight ahead and behind it the Lichthof with city model and exhibition. Left of reception is the elevator and men’s toilet; the women’s toilet is right of reception.
More Sights, New Town (Neustadt)
Church of the Three Kings, or Dreikönigskirche (Mon-Sat 10:00-18:00). Dating from 1739, the Baroque-style evangelical Church of the Three Kings situated midway along Neustadt’s Hauptstrasse (Main Street) is worth a visit. Refurbished since its destruction during World War II, the church’s fresh interior resembles that of a theater with its two tiers of balconies above rows of neatly aligned chairs facing the stage, or in this case a battered high altar. The sandstone altar is original but partially intact; a grim reminder of the horrors of war. Above the entrance portal is the Dresdner Dance of Death, locally Totentanz, a 13 m (42 ft) long stone relief dating from 1535. Below the Dance of Death are a series of info boards recounting the church’s history (albeit auf Deutsch). But look to the board “1924-1945” and you’ll see how the altar appeared before its ruin. If interested in climbing the church’s 87 m (285 ft) high tower, see Best Views below. And if you like sweets, visit The Transparent Bakery next door.
Kunsthofpassage: This rather long German word is actually several rolled into one, meaning “passageway through the courtyard of art.” This casual Laguna Beach-style quarter hidden in the midst of New Town is a must-see for art aficionados and anyone with a sense of the unusual. Split between five themed courtyards, the Kunsthofpassage features groovy galleries, bright boutiques, fancy facades and the Regenwasserspiel. The what? (I hear you ask.) The Regenwasserspiel is the “rain water fountain,” an exceptional artistic creation involving a network of aluminum pipes, funnels and guttering purposefully attached to the hand-painted facade of an apartment building to ingeniously direct water off the eaves of the roof. Synchronize a visit to New Town to correspond with a wet performance by the rain water fountain. You can see it in action from spring thru fall Mon-Fri 13:00-19:00, Sat/Sun 10:00-20:00 on the hour and half hour and, of course, when it rains. GPS: N51 04.071 E13 45.266. To get there, the Kunsthofpassage is located between Görlitzer Strasse and Alaunstrasse. Enter either at Alaunstrasse 70 or Görlitzer Strasse 25; both entrances are marked by a large blue sign featuring a golden cow springing into the air. If you enter at Görlitzer Strasse 25, ramble through the short covered passage and feast your eyes on the dazzling yellow facade, then turn around to the Regenwasserspiel.
Pfund’s Molkerei, (Mon-Sat 10:00-18:00, Sun 10:00-15:00, www.pfunds.de, tel. 0351/808-080). In 1997, this small yet unique milk shop entered the Guinness Book of World Records as the most beautiful on Earth. With 2,669 sq.ft of floor-to-ceiling hand-painted tiles from Villeroy and Boch, it’s not hard to understand why. The Pfund brothers established the Molkerei, or dairy, more than a century ago and business subsequently boomed. Milk production peaked at 60,000 liters per day with Europe-wide deliveries consisting of cream, butter, cheese, yogurt, milk powder, and even milk-based soap. Business may have declined from its heyday, but there’s no doubt you’ll ever see a more striking milk shop! As a remembrance, take a specially designed wall tile (Wandfliese, 10€/ea.) home with you; a decorative addition to most any kitchen. Dairy lovers will especially appreciate the broad selection of *cheese to choose from (more than 100 varieties), inclusive of heady aroma. *During the GDR-era, however, ownership of Pfund’s Molkerei was transferred to the state and the socialists limited production to just milk and three types of cheese. Note: The milk shop is a popular attraction with German tour operators and frequently packed with tourists. GPS: N51 03.821 E13 45.591. To get there, Pfund’s Molkerei is located at Bautzner Strasse 79, New Town—20-min walk from Bahnhof Neustadt or ride tram 11 (direction Bühlau) to Pulsnitzer Strasse. Exit tram left; cross street with traffic light then go right to Pfund’s Molkerei ahead on the left.
Old Jewish Cemetery, or Alter Jüdischer Friedhof (Mon-Thur 9:00-12:00 & 13:00-16:00, Fri thru Sun closed, www.hatikva.de). This is the oldest maintained Jewish cemetery in Saxony; established in 1751, it’s been closed to burial since 1869. Witness more than 1,000 gravestones of all shapes and sizes unevenly resting in the rich coffee-brown soil. The gate will be locked but a decent view can still be had. For a closer look, inquire at the HATiKVA office in the adjacent building (right of cemetery at Pulsnitzer Strasse 10)—push HATiKVA button and say Friedhof Schlüssel, meaning “cemetery key.” You’ll subsequently be buzzed in by a member of the Jewish community who will then open the cemetery gate (just notify him/her when to lock up). Note: Men are required to wear a skullcap, which are available at HATiKVA office. Also available at the office are info brochures for small change; and they can arrange a tour of the New Synagogue for you. GPS: N51 03.866 E13 45.496. To get there, cemetery is located on Pulsnitzer Strasse in Neustadt, around corner from Pfund’s Molkerei.
Even More Sights
VW Transparent Factory, locally Gläserne Manufaktur (daily 8:00-20:00, auto buffs allow 45 min for a visit; non buffs can walk through in 10 min, www.glaesernemanufaktur.de). This state-of-the-art Volkswagen factory complex, which employs some 500 workers and produces upwards of 29 Phaetons per weekday (*7,500 per year, all with automatic transmission), is an architectural highlight added to Dresden’s cityscape, costing 186€ million to build, completed in December 2001. (*More than 50% of these are purchased by the Chinese.) Transparent is not just a fancy word in the title, the eco-friendly structure features nearly 7 acres, or 27,500 sq.m (296,000 sq.ft), of floor-to-ceiling glass panels rising to its distinctive 40-meter (131-ft) high spherical tower that contains (a max of 280) custom-made Phaetons parked here until collection. On the first floor (one level above reception) is an interactive exhibition where you can virtually walk through the car-making process via touch-screen terminals and literally watch white-coated personnel in a spotless work environment piece together by hand VW’s luxury-class sedan, the Phaeton, as it glides through the production line. (This is the only plant in the world where the Phaeton is manufactured.) The starting price in Germany for the 2011 model (V6, petrol engine, 280hp) is 71,000€, www.volkswagon.de. Note: Although the visitor’s center and exhibition is open daily 8:00-20:00, plan your visit Mon-Fri when cars are being produced (by workers in a two-shift system, early till late). Put your things in one of the lockers provided (insert a 1€ coin but you’ll get it back upon reopening locker), then climb steps to exhibition floor. Toilets adjacent to lockers. Tours of the complex are possible in English Mon-Fri 12:00, 15:00, 17:00 and Sat 15:00 (duration 60-75 min, adult 5€, student/senior 3€). Reserve your place in advance if possible but not required (note that a walk-thru the factory floor is typically not part of the rounds). GPS: N51 02.685 E13 45.220. To get there, the factory neighbors the Großer Garten (see next entry) at Straßburger Platz, one mile southeast of the Frauenkirche. By tram, take 1, 2, or 4 from Postplatz; tram 10 from the main train station; or trams 4 and 13 from Neustadt and get off at Straßburger Platz. Drivers, follow signs Gläserne Manufaktur then park in visitor lot (free) off Lennéstrasse, adjacent to factory complex. Pull ticket at gate and have VW staff member at reception validate it.
The Großer Garten, located one mile southeast of the Old Town (behind VW’s Transparent Factory), is Dresden’s biggest and most beautiful park, initially landscaped in 1676 as hunting grounds for the Saxon royal family. Today, locals refer to it as the “green lung,” and for good reason: the Großer Garten encompasses 363 acres of parkland, including the zoo (see next entry), a Baroque palace (1683), an open-air theater, and a darling miniature railway for enthusiasts as well as big and little kids alike. Hauptallee, the main drag bisecting the park, is busy with walkers, joggers, cyclists and in-line skaters. If it’s a warm and sunny day, you’ll believe all of Dresden has come out to play. The most beloved attraction, the 60-year-old miniature railway, locally Parkeisenbahn, chugs through the gardens on a narrow (15-inch) gauge track every 15-30 min April thru mid-Oct Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00, July/Aug also Monday 13:00-18:00, (round trip 5.6 km, or about 30 min). Price (depending on number of stops), adult 1.50-4€, student .75¢-2€. Note: Next to VW’s Transparent Factory is the main (miniature) railway stop, cashier and gift shop. Because of the park’s enormity, to ride the railway is a novel idea (the first stop from VW is the zoo).
Zoo Dresden, (daily 8:30-16:30, April-Sept till 18:30, last entry 45 min before closing but allow at least two hours for a visit, adult 10€ but Mondays only 7.50€, student 7.50€, youth 3-16yr 4€, family 24€, discount with Dresden Card, www.zoo-dresden.de). Established in 1861 in the Großer Garten (see previous entry), the Dresden Zoo is the fourth oldest in Germany. During World War II the animal park was destroyed but one year after the war (1946) the doors once again reopened. In 1961, the zoo celebrated its 100th birthday and 1.2 million visitors showed up for the party. Today, the zoo maintains around 2,000 animals representing 350 species. Feeding times,locally Fütterungszeiten (use as general guide, times may have changed), monkeys 15:30, penguins 15:00, lions 12:00 (cats are not fed on Mondays and Thursdays). To get there, take tram 9 or 13 to Zoo, or the mini-railway within the Großer Garten.
DDR Museum, (Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00, Monday also on holidays, allow at least 75 min for a visit, adult 7.50€, discount with Dresden Card, www.zeitreise-ddr.de). Discover the life and times in the former DDR (GDR in English, German Democratic Republic, or East Germany) in this fascinating museum. Set in a dated office building once the workplace of state employees governing the regional power supply, the DDR Museum is the largest of its kind presenting daily life behind the Iron Curtain. Hundreds of exhibits are displayed on four themed floors offering a unique perspective into socialism and its standard of living, including a typical family room and kitchen, appliances and foodstuff, factory workspace and office, modes of transportation and community organizations, sport and recreational practices. Note: Although the museum is described only in German, most exhibits are self-explanatory and nonetheless beguiling to behold. What’s more, the gift shop (alongside cashier) is fun to browse with its East German products and mementos. I bought a package of coconut sweets (Cocosflocken, 1.50€) to snack on and a designer DDR coffee mug (with state emblem and colors, 3.95€) to drink my green tea out of as I update this guidebook. Visitors who desire more can find a DDR-styled bar-restaurant and hotel on the premises. To get there, located at Wasastrasse 50 in the town of Radebeul, the museum is easily reached via public transportation from Dresden (ride tram 4 direction Weinböhla, departing every 10 min, to “Wasastr.,” 25-min trip, and the massive block-long museum is across the street from the tram stop).
Blue Wonder, locally Blaues Wunder. Six kilometers upriver from the Old Town, along an enchanting stretch of scenery, is Dresden’s most famous bridge, the so-called Blaues Wunder. Upon its completion in 1893, the steel suspension bridge really was a wonder, built without any piers and considered to be “hanging”—a remarkable engineering feat of its time. But the real wonder was yet to come: Not long after the opening-day fanfare, the original green paint turned blue! In addition to a blue bridge, architects constructed two railways nearby on the north (right) bank: The suspension railway (Schwebebahn), built 1898-1901, is the oldest of its kind in the world. The funicular railway (Standseilbahn, 1895) ushers passengers to a restaurant 100 meters above the river (daily, one way 3€, round trip 4€). To get there (Blue Wonder) bytram, take #6 from Neustadt or #12 from Postplatz to Schillerplatz. Cyclists, worthwhile ride; keep to the south (left) bank. Pack a picnic. Drivers, keep to the south (left) bank—follow route along river, i.e. Terrassenufer, Käthe-Kollwitz-Ufer.
Slaughterhouse-Five: The World War II bombing of Dresden inspired Kurt Vonnegut to write his antiwar science-fiction novel, “Slaughterhouse-Five,” named so after the section of slaughterhouse in which he was detained: Schlachthof Fünf. You see, in real life, the late Vonnegut (1922-2007) was an American GI captured by the German army in 1945 and held as a POW on the outskirts of Dresden where he survived the horrific firebombing. Much of the district Vonnegut spent his POW days has since been redeveloped into the city’s convention center (Messe) and few buildings remain as they did in 1945. That said, a trip here is worthwhile for Vonnegut fans, Messe-goers, and aspiring city planners and architects due to the recent spate of renovations to historic structures (like the former slaughterhouse and its employee accommodations) alongside contemporary design. GPS: N51 04.088 E13 43.204. To get there, the Messe is located 2 km northwest of the Semperoper. By bus, catch #75 from Postplatz direction Messe and get off at Ostragehege (Messehalle 1; check bus return times across the street to coordinate your pick-up). Walk around. On the renovated buildings opposite notice the representations of cattle from when the complex was part of the slaughterhouse. Cyclists, from the Semperoper follow the riverside route downstream to the Marienbrücke (bridge)—cross underneath it with the traffic and turn right onto Pieschener Allee. After a few minutes the former slaughterhouse complex and employee accommodations will appear on the right. Follow the cobbles paralleling the freshly renovated structures to the next bus stop, Ostragehege (Messehalle 1), where you’ll see representations of cattle on the buildings reflecting the site’s history. Drivers, follow signs to Messe.
Best Views
With regard to the following four listings, all observation terraces are outside.
Hausmannsturm: Dating from 1674 and rising 100 m (328 ft) above the Dresdner Schloss in the middle of the Old Town, the Hausmannsturm is the *second tallest of Dresden’s historical towers, and absolutely worth a visit if you don’t mind climbing 221 steps up a spiraling staircase to reach its 38 m (124 ft) high observation terrace. *Note: If steps are troublesome, visit Dresden’s tallest historical tower at City Hall (next entry) where an elevator will lift you to its viewing level.
The City Hall Tower, locally Rathausturm (March-Oct, daily, 10:00-18:00, last entry 17:30, adult 3€, student 1.70€), dates from 1910 and registers as Dresden’s tallest downtown tower at 100.20 m (329 ft), affording panoramic views of the city and beyond to the landscapes of the Elbe valley from its 68 m (223 ft) high observation terrace without the bother of stairs. Cresting the tower, and outreaching the Hausmannsturm by mere inches, is the gilded 15-foot-tall Rathausmann, whose physique can be likened to Hercules and is symbolically emptying a horn of plenty over the city with his left arm while hailing Dresden’s splendor with his right. Note: For more on City Hall, see Dresden Rathaus. To get there, the tower is located atop the Rathaus one block southeast of Altmarkt, or Old Market Square; step through archway at Kreuzstrasse 6 straight to Turmaufzug. Push button to activate elevator and door will automatically open when it arrives. The elevator will lift you to the cashier (floor 7), where another elevator will deliver you to the viewing level (floor 11). On either floor a pictorial exhibition featuring Dresden is often displayed.
Church of the Three Kings, locally Dreikönigskirche (March-Oct Tue 11:30-16:00, Wed-Sun 11:00-17:00; Nov-Feb Wed 12:00-16:00, Thur/Fri 10:00-16:00, Sat 10:00-17:00, Sun 11:30-16:30, adult 1.50€, student 1€). Reaching 87 m (285 ft) high, this church’s neo-Baroque tower offers an exalted perspective of Dresden’s new and old towns. To get there, the church is located at Hauptstrasse 23, Neustadt; enter tower at back of church. Note that right of the tower entrance is Die Schwerdtner Backstube.
Frauenkirche, click here. The newly opened Church of Our Lady boasts heavenly vistas of the Old Town and beyond from its 67 m (220 ft) high observation terrace for a price, monetarily (adult 8€, student/senior and youth 6-16yr 5€, family 20€) and physically (steep steps and a spiraling ramp up the dome).
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(This page was last updated June 2011)
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