Dresden’s glorious splendour
Baroque buildings in the picturesque Altstadt and colourful street art in the grungy, alternative Neustadt: Dresden is a city of contrasts. Join us on a trip to this brand-new KLM destination.
Sandro Götze / 500px
Sandro Götze / 500px
Altstadt & Neustadt
The sparkling Elbe River cuts right through Dresden. South of the river you’ll find elegant palaces and majestic churches in the Altstadt, and north the trendy Neustadt is packed with hip bars and museums. Thanks to its diverse offerings of art, architecture and culture, Dresden is also known as the Florence of Germany. There’s plenty to explore.
Destination: Dresden, Germany
KLM connection: daily, direct service from Amsterdam and Dresden.
Inhabitants: 536,000
Location: 200 km south of Berlin
Altstadt
Neustadt
Pure splendour
For centuries until 1918, Dresden was the capital of the Kingdom of Saxony. As the former hometown of the Saxon kings, the city features a treasure trove of baroque buildings. During the Second World War in 1945, British and American bombings destroyed almost 80 percent of the city. But a stroll through the old centre reveals almost no traces of the destruction: most buildings have been rebuilt from scratch or were thoroughly restored after the war.
Stefano Paterna Photography / Alamy Stock Photo
Baroque glamour and singing downpipes
Dresden is one of the most beautiful baroque cities in the world. The Zwinger palace is an impressive example of this art style. The enormous palace was built to house the growing art collections of the elector August the Strong and was inspired by Louis XIV’s Versailles. For a more contemporary experience, visit the Kunsthofpassage in the Neustadt: a maze of courtyards packed with colourful architecture and clever gimmicks, such as a series of connecting downpipes that sing when it rains.
Castles and vineyards
The surroundings of the city are also picturesque. Dresden is located in a hilly region, dotted with dozens of castles and vineyards with fabulous vistas of the city. Only a stone’s throw from Dresden lies the Sächsische Schweiz, a large nature park known for its high rocky outcrops and the Basteibrücke. This spellbinding bridge connects various rock formations and offers dazzling views of the canyon below.
The alternative Neustadt
The grand Semperoper
Grünes Gewölbe
Volkwagen Factory
