Dresden - reconstructed

We arrived at the Steigenberger Hotel in the heart of
Dresden to attend a Mission President's seminar. As we turned into the square on the bus we caught our first glimpse of the city core and it left a powerful visual impression.  Knowing that Dresden had suffered the most extensive aerial bombardment of any city in Germany, I was expecting an urban center like many others, replete with the architecture of our modern era.  Not so!  In every direction, massive churches, palaces, opera houses and castle complexes were laid out in an extensive inner city network, reflecting the best architectural works of past centuries.  It became readily apparent that this location was going to provide ample opportunity to explore and study the rich heritage of this historic city.


The first two images are part of the Dresden fortress referred to as the Zwinger.  The inner portion is divided into the rectangular square of a concentric castle. This huge open area served a staging place for festival and community festivities.  This first image is one of the wings of the complex.  This wing, and three other wings, each house separate museums.   We visited all three, the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister art gallery contains classic works of art to rival anything in Europe.  The other a porcelain museum and the third was devoted to armor.

Upon leaving the fortress complex, we were presented with an impressive view of the Opera House.  We did not enter this building, but it too represented another indicator of the wealth and power of the Saxon Kings.
The building is largely the Baroque form of architecture.  What you cannot see from this picture is the Elbe River directly behind it.  On the portal are monuments of famous persons including Shakespeare, Goethe and Schiller.

What is particularly noteworthy is the incredible amount of time, effort and money that went into reconstructing these beautiful buildings to recapture the splendor of the romantic period.  Architects state they are now better than they were originally, as they incorporated design features to enhance their structural integrity and longevity.
This Catholic cathedral is one of a number of churches we visited. Dresden was largely a Protestant stronghold, but some of the aristocracy converted to Catholocism to solidify their power base.  The Catholic church still dominated the political arena of Europe in the 19th century and powerful connections were maintained by timely marriages and diplomatic maneuverings.


The last church is the Frauenkirch.  This was immediately across from our hotel.  It was as magnificent on the inside as it looks from the outside.  This was recently reconstructed with contributions of local citizenry.


The East Germans recognized the value of the tourist dollar and so invested quite a bit of money to the reconstruction process.  This rebuilding process continued after reunification is continuing even now with cranes and construction crews working constantly day and night.
This city promises to rate highly as a tourist site in years to come.  With German ingenuity, a powerful economic base,  and their natural penchant for meticulous reconstruction Dresden will surpass a number of other European cities in the drawing power of the world traveler.  It has the appeal of a clean, safe environment, the outlook in the hospitality industry will continue to advance as they recognize the economic benefits of customer care. Additionally, they have scrupulously maintained tourist venues, with enough diversity to capture the interests of the most discerning visitor and the infrastructure to support it all.  No other country in Europe can compare when all facets are examined.  Germany has a bright future!