Dramatic Dresden: A Walk through the Historic Old Town

Dresden was once known as the Florence of Germany, but after years of neglect, it lay in ruins for many decades. Luckily, its beauty has been revived and visitors find themselves, once again, enthralled by the impressive architecture that spans several centuries. On this tour, I’ll show you the most stunning buildings and monuments, and tell you about the Old Town’s dramatic history. The tour starts on Theaterplatz, where you can enjoy the Old Town’s skyline and the iconic sight of the Semper Opera and the Zwinger, two of Dresden’s most famous buildings. You’ll walk through the Zwinger Park, which had its foundations laid in the 1700s, and now houses several impressive museums. You’ll also pass by the Royal Palace where August the Strong lived. On the way, I’ll tell you about his mistress, the unlucky Countess of Cosel, and how she lived happily in exile. As you make your way towards Neumarkt Square, you’ll see one of the best-preserved courts where jousting tournaments were held, the Old Town’s former Jewish center, and the Frauenkirche, a very imposing baroque church that was destroyed during World War II but re-emerged out of the rubble in 2005. By the time you reach the Art Academy’s lemon press-shaped dome, aptly named Zitronenpresse, you’ll have heard about several of Saxony’s rulers who helped shape Dresden’s beautiful Old Town. On this hour-long tour, you’ll get the chance to: • Marvel at beautiful baroque buildings and parks • Take pictures of the Semper Opera, one of the world’s most famous opera buildings • Hear about one of the most outrageous burglaries committed in this century • Try a hot beverage called liquid nougat in a cacao-café and visit the attached chocolate museum • Find out why heavily armoured knights rode down a ramp before their jousting tournaments • Admire the Royal Castle’s beautiful inner courtyards • Meet August the Strong in person and have a little chat with him • Compare the rebuilt Neumarkt, the historic center of town, with the painting that shows how it looked in 1750 • Be awed by the grandeur and beauty of Dresden’s landmark, the Frauenkirche, a Lutheran church • Get ideas of which museums to visit and what else to do in Dresden • Visit some of the medieval foundations that have survived throughout the historic center’s long history So grab your camera and join me on this fascinating tour of Dresden’s Old Town!

Price: £7.99 from VoiceMap