From the Smithsonian Lecture: "Cultural Capitals of Former East Germany." After the devastating bombing of Dresden in 1945, the historic city on the Elbe has been rebuilt to its former glory, capped by completion of the Frauenkirche in 2005.

1. 1
From the Smithsonian
Lecture: “Cultural
Capitals of Former East
Germany”

2. Dresden
NordNordWest (CC BY-SA
3.0)
What springs to
mind for many
people when they
hear the name
“Dresden”?

3.  ThetThe
Richard Peter – Deutsche Fototek (CC BY-SA 3.0-de)
February 13-15, 1945
This tragic moment in history
is called a “firestorm”
because the architecturally
stunning historical center of
Dresden was incinerated.
More than 25,000 people
were incinerated as well.

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Tales of human suffering in this
event are difficult even today to
read and there is ongoing
controversy about the decision
to send Royal Air Force and
American bombers on this
mission.
Outlying areas of Dresden, both
industrial and residential, also
were bombed. It seemed
impossible ever to contemplate
resurrecting Dresden after the
war.
Deutsche Fototek (CC BY-SA 3.0) http://bit.ly/13kUEFQ

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Yet the city was rebuilt.
Slowly, painstakingly. The
rebuilding was complex. It
involved intricate discussions
as to what should be rebuilt,
where, and in what
architectural style.
Deutsche Fotothek (CC BY-SA 3.0) http://bit.ly/12QOEDU

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After many of
Dresden’s treasures
were rebuilt, one
important site
remained in ruins:
Dresden’s landmark
Frauenkirche (Our
Lady’s Church, or
Notre Dame). Many
wanted it to stay
that way, as an on-going
memorial to
the utter
devastation.
nemodoteles (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0) http://bit.ly/1qJg0qF

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With a history stretching back
to the 11th century, the
“modern” rendition of the
Frauenkirche had been built
as a Lutheran church
between 1726 and 1744. With
its striking single-dome form,
it quickly became a focal
point of the city, particularly in
artistic renditions such as the
intricate paintings by
Bernardo Bellotto, also known
as Canaletto.
Ansicht von Dresden, Der Neumarkt in Dresden vom Jüdenhofe aus.
Bernardo Bellotto, Canaletto, 1749-51

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Some argued that
restoring the
beautiful crypt as a
sanctuary and
concert space
would be ideal. Still
others wanted a
church restored, but
in a modern style.
gynti_46 (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0) http://bit.ly/1zN5lgb

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But others fought to
rebuild the Frauenkirche
as it once was. And
finally, the work began
in 1994.
Every section of the
structure that could be
salvaged was. Even
individual stones were
catalogued, cleaned,
and reused.
Greg O’Beirne (CC BY-SA 3.0) http://bit.ly/16j56yN

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Completed in 2005 in all of its beauty,
the Frauenkirche has become one of
the most popular tourist destinations
in Dresden. It is also considered one
of the finest examples of Baroque
Protestant architecture in Europe.
ProhibitOnions (PD) http://bit.ly/1GyH5yI

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It now reigns over the profile of the city, just
as it did in Bellotto’s day. And the glittering
cross on its dome? It was crafted by the son
of one of the RAF fighter pilots engaged in
the 1945 bombing and stands as a poignant
symbol of Dresden’s renewal.
CEphoto, Uwe Aranas (CC BY-SA 3.0) http://bit.ly/1z7zcQx

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As all cities along
great rivers,
Dresden is shaped
by the rhythms of its
river, the Elbe.
Those rhythms
frequently include
massive flooding
which has
devastated Dresden
and surrounding
towns many times
throughout history.
Mylius (CC BY-SA 3.0) http://bit.ly/1BwxQy5

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Sailing on the Elbe
from Prague to
Dresden takes one
through a
magnificent area
known as
Sächsische Schweiz
(Saxon
Switzerland).
Thomas Wolf (CC BY-SA 3.0) http://bit.ly/16j9wWA

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To explore Dresden’s
historical roots. We can
move northwest down
the Elbe to the nearby
town of Meissen, a
charming town of
c. 28,000 inhabitants.
Today Meissen garners
its fame from the
production of priceless
porcelain (china). But in
Medieval times, Meissen
was known as the home
of the Saxon margraves.
Johann Gregorius Höroldt (CC BY-SA 3.0)
http://bit.ly/1vLWYLV
VAWebteam at English Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0)
http://bit.ly/1wMTP5x

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The castle at
Meissen, the
Albrechtsburg, is
considered one of
the earliest “castles”
to give up its
defensive role and
become a royal
residence. Plan on
touring it, as well as
the Gothic
Cathedral.
Staka (CC BY-SA 4.0 international) http://bit.ly/1uAohIL

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Gradually power shifted
to Dresden as the
Medieval Meissen
Margraves began using
it as an interim
residence (1206) and
then seat of royal
power (1270). In the
Renaissance period,
Dresden became the
seat of the Saxon kings
(1485) and Saxon
Electors (1547).
Dresden was now the
Royal Saxon city. JoJan (CC BY 3.0) http://bit.ly/1DtYNqO

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The most significant
Saxon king was August
the Strong. And he was
incredibly strong! We can
see him as well as the
whole line of Saxon
rulers by walking along
the fantastic Fürstenzug
or Princely-Parade, a
mural that has been
rendered in 25,000 tiles
of Meissen porcelain.
Destroyed during the
Dresden bombing, it too
had to be rebuilt. Saiko (CC BY-SA 3.0) http://bit.ly/1uCvzgc

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August the Strong (1670-1733) was an
ardent patron of the arts. He supported the
development of the technology that made
possible the production of Meissen
Porcelain. Why? Because he was one of
the first rulers to recognize porcelain as a
priceless economic and diplomatic
currency. He also collected art and
founded many cultural institutions. In
addition, he built palaces, including
Dresden’s impressive palace ensemble
known as the Zwinger.
August the Strong
Louis de Silvestre, before 1733

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But before we visit
these magnificent
buildings, let’s take
a peek at the royal
stables and
tournament square
dating back to 1591.
Of course it too had
to be rebuilt after
the Dresden
Firestorm.
Deutsche Fotothek (CC BY-SA 3.0) http://bit.ly/1wNZHvw

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It’s one of the oldest
preserved sites in
Europe where you
can see just how
the jousting and
riding tournaments
took place. Today,
it’s used as a site
for wonderful
theatrical events
and festivals,
including a
Renaissance
Christmas fair.
Professor Carol (CC BY-SA 3.0) http://professorcarol.com

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Speaking of fairs,
Dresden hosts
perhaps the most
famous Christmas
Market in Europe,
the Striezelmarkt. It
dates back to 1434
(!) and takes place
on the Altmarkt
square bordering
the historic district.
LH DD/Dittrich (CC BY-SA 3.0) http://bit.ly/1yM0GY2

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The Dresdene Hofkirche
(Dresden Court Church)
was built from 1730 to
1755 by the Italian
architect Gaetano
Chiaveri during the reign
of August the Strong’s
son, Friedrich August II.
A Catholic Church, it was
dedicated as the Most
Holy Trinity Church
(heiligsten Dreifaltigkeit
or Sanctissimae
Trinitatis)
Kolossos (CC BY-SA 3.0) http://bit.ly/1sqnjz3

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It features a
Silbermann organ.
Its gleaming white
interior and
gorgeous
decoration belies
the terrible
destruction that
befell it during the
bombing of
Dresden.
unknown (CC BY-SA 2.5) http://bit.ly/1AvgUqD

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There is so much to see at the Zwinger.
In good weather, you can simply enjoy
the courtyard and the extravagant
Nymphenbad. If ever there was
extreme architectural ornamentation
during the German Baroque, this is the
place to see it! And, yes, the “motion”
we see in the facades matches up
nicely with the more ornamented
movements in music by J.S. Bach and
his contemporaries. Remember, this
highly ornamented style was ultra-trendy,
so of course it had influence on
all artists, including composers.
Polybert49 (CC BY-SA 2.0) http://bit.ly/1A4Kq6G

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I have four favorite
museums in the
Zwinger. The niftiest
of all is the glittering
Salon of
Mathematics and
Physics where you
can see technology
that may well
surprise you by its
advanced level of
development.
SchiDD (CC BY-SA 3.0) http://bit.ly/13l6obr

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The porcelain
collection is lovely
on the eye,
especially since it,
too, is laid out within
the former royal
rooms. Beams of
light streaming
through wonderful
windows give this
collection a special
touch.
Dr. Meierhofer (CC BY-SA 3.0) http://bit.ly/1A5R1O7

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The Armory (Rüstkammer)
offers something for
everyone. The bejeweled
weaponry will dazzle you,
and the opportunity to feel
the energy of those
warriors of long ago
comes through both in the
collections of armor
(including kid sizes) and
the “real” horses opposing
one another as if in the
midst of a jousting
tournament.
Juliezehn (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0) http://bit.ly/1sodGGJ

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But the most impressive museum in the
Zwinger, to me, is the Gallery of Old
Masters. Its famous treasure is
Raphael’s Sistine Madona, a painting
prized for many reasons, including the
adorable cherubim at Our Lady’s feet.
Sistine Madonna. Raphael, 1512

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Balancing the
architectural
ensemble, the opera
house known as
Semper Oper serves
as one of Dresden’s
most important
buildings. Built by the
master architect
Gottfried Semper, the
house was opened in
1841, just a year
before Wagner
conducted the
premiere of his Flying
Dutchman.
Professor Carol (CC BY-SA 3.0) http://professorcarol.com

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The unusual name of this
royal treasury (the Green
Vault) comes from the blue-green
cast of the original
paint. Here we find the
riches of the kings,
particularly the extravagant
creations made by goldsmith
Johann Dinglinger for August
the Strong. Many of these
treasures were difficult to
recover after WWII. Still,
today both the “new” and the
“historical” sections are open
to the public.
Yoav Lerman (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0) http://bit.ly/1uAMuyz

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Bgabel (CC BY-SA 3.0) http://bit.ly/1wsGDPX
One of the delights of Dresden is a stroll along the magnificent
riverside veranda known as Brühle’s Terrace. Everywhere you
look, the view is magnificent, whether it’s out over the Elbe or up
to the glittering domes of the Albertinum, Dresden’s “new” art
museum.

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Despite its elevation,
the Albertinum is
susceptible to floods,
including the disastrous
floods of 2012. It has
now been redesigned
internally and rebuilt to
withstand future floods.
It has thus gained the
nicknamed “Ark for Art.”
Its collection today
focuses on sculpture
and modern art (starting
with the 19th century).
Andras, Fulop (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0) http://bit.ly/1vMVT6H

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While not as famous for
its Art Nouveau
architecture as nearby
Prague, Dresden had a
strong component of
architects who crafted
stunning buildings in that
new style at the turn of
the 20th century. Some of
these Jugendstil masters
also designed opulent
villas for wealthy clients
desirous of living just
outside the city center in
Dresden’s leafy hills.
Erfurth (CC BY-SA 2.0) http://bit.ly/1INV6g3

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No matter how
intriguing the historic
center of Dresden, it’s
good to get out and
about. Crossing the
bridge into a newer (but
still old) region called
Neustadt (New City)
opens up the chance to
see a lively part of
modern Dresden. Many
students live in this
area, and there are
trendy restaurant and
clubs.
Hanoi Mark (CC BY-NC 2.0) http://bit.ly/1z7Ra5x

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Due to massive
rebuilding, Dresden
now glitters again
as one of Europe’s
most stunning
cities. The horrors
of the Dresden
Bombing will never
be forgotten, nor will
the difficult years
under Soviet-imposed
Communism during
the DDR.
Marcus Rahm (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0) http://bit.ly/1wtLcti

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A new era has begun that builds upon the strengths of August the
Strong and the legacy of Royal Saxony. Surrounded by natural
beauty, shaped by the Elbe river, and rich in art, architecture, and
music, Dresden will not disappoint.

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