Germany - Dresden

When visiting Germany, Dresden is not on the agenda for most visitors, it is far to the east of the country and off the beaten track. I wanted to see it however, from both a historical perspective and to witness the rebuilding of this cultural citadel which has and still does impart much of the German psyche. For me it did not disappoint. As is the case when one travels, you never quite know how much time to allocate to any one destination. No amount of beforehand reading can really prepare you for what you come across once in situ. I did not read overly much about Dresden before our arrival, and even if I had, how long do you need to see what you think you want to see?! What we did see left me with the impression that I could have spent an extra two or three days to explore in more detail. Yes I know, there is always a next time ....

Dresden to me has two sides to it, the soft cultural side of theatre, arts and entertainment. It has the beautiful Grosser Garten (Great Garden) just east of the Altstadt (Old city), various museums, horse drawn carriages, some of the best muses I've ever seen and then the Elbe for a river cruise.

The other side is that of history and the emotive side to a city that, to me, seems proud to tell others of the place and standing of the German people in the portals of history. Not only military history, but the cultural and economic contribution in and to Europe, of a leading European nation.

Statue of Martin Luther in front of the rebuilt Frauenkirche

Altstadt (Old city) skyline from the Elbe river

View from the Carola bridge

The Great Garden east of the city centre

Mozart memorial in the Great Garden

Another view in the Great Garden

The mural below was of significant interest to me, in that it says something, without barriers and political correctness, of the contribution of a people to Western values as we know it today. That this mural is to be seen in Dresden, considering the upheavel in its 20th century history, I found especially poignant. And to spice it all up even more, don't forget it was part of communist East Germany before 1990, although the mural would have come after reunification.

A mural near the Frauenkirche

I will attempt a free translation:-

A noble tribe, who's boldness reached out to us all, went forth a long time ago with the story of our people.