Why Dresden is One of the Best Places to Visit in Germany

Architecture:

Dresden is the capital of the state of Saxony and was the former royal residence. Walking through the Old Town surrounded by ornate baroque buildings, I could see how it earned the nickname “Jewel Box.” If being a member of the royal family meant surrounding yourself with ornate buildings, and museums, I thought I would have adapted rather well.

The FrauenKirche (Church of Our Lady), Dresden’s Most Famous Landmark . It was completely destroyed in WWII and rebuilt using as much of the remains as possible. Reconstruction costs were ~ €100 million, most of which came from donations. The dark stones are the original stones.

Dresden after WWII bombing. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.2. Bombing of Dresden in WWII:

The bombing in which 85% of the historic city center was bombed might not seem like a good reason to visit Dresden, but I would disagree. Seeing the pictures after it was bombed is devastating. 25,000 people were killed. The fact that it was one of the most controversial bombings of WWII adds further to the devastation. But, when you compare the photos to how it looks today and how it is once again a vibrant cultural and education hub, I see it as a sign of hope and a stellar example of what can be accomplished by a group of determined citizens.

Zwinger in Dresden’s historic city center

 Dresden Elbe Valley is the Only Site in Europe to Lose Its UNESCO Status:

And only the second site in the world! All because a bridge was built too close to the historic center. Despite this, I believe it is deserving of UNESCO status and I’m a sucker for most things with a UNESCO status – even if it has been revoked.

Elbe Sandstone Mountains near Dresden. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

The Surrounding Area is Begging to Be Explored:

It’s not just Dresden that is interesting, but also the surrounding area. I counted 17 different castles/ruins all within a couple of hours drive (a very rough estimate). There’s the Elbe River in which you can explore the Dresden Basin, and the Elbe Sandstone Mountains, which comprise one of Germany’s few national parks. I plan to return at some point, just to explore the surrounding area.

Crown Gate at the Zwinger. Imagine how easy this must have made giving directions “Meet me by the gate with the crown.”

It Hasn’t Been Largely Discovered by Tourists Outside of Europe:

Make no mistake, Dresden does have a lot of tourists, but most of them are from Germany and Russia. We spotted quite a few Italian tourists as well, but I only heard a handful of tourists speaking English. I hadn’t heard of Dresden before. And I know a lot of my Canadian friends hadn’t heard of it before either. I love “discovering” a new place – even if I had some help in doing so.