July 17 & 18, Dresden, Germany

Dresden is now one of our top cities. We loved it. Dresden was destroyed in WWII. It took a very long time for the city to return to it's former glory. It is not yet the tourist destination that we know it will be one day. Most of the tourists were Europeans, and mostly Germans.

The Royal Palace.

This is the Theaterplatz with the Saxon State Opera House in the background. Three opera houses have stood in this platz. The first burned down in 1869, the second was firebombed in 1945, and now this one.

Cheers!!

Inside the Zwinger. This was the palace complex which now houses several museums. It is a beautiful baroque building and the gardens inside are beautifully manicured. Behind Bill and the kids is the Glockenspiel.

This is the famous Crown Gate. The golden eagles at the top supporting the crown is symbolic of Polish Royalty since the ruler (when this was built) was Augustus the Strong who was Polish.

The Catholic Cathedral of Dresden, Hofkirche.

A communist mural on the side of the soviet built Palace of Culture.

Anyone home???

Frauenkirche (Church of our Lady), and a statue of Martin Luther.

Frauenkirche was spectacular. It was leveled in 1945 and reopened just recently in 2005. It cost more than 100 million euro to rebuild. The architects used about one third of the original stones. This church is a baroque masterpiece.

The altar in the Frauenkirche.

Bill and the kids stand beside a hunk of rubble from the bombed church.

Mmmmm....chocolate covered waffle on a stick.

The Augustus bridge, connecting Dresden's new and old towns.

A beautiful promenade, Bruhlsche Terrasse, the "Balcony of Europe".

On the Augustus bridge looking back at this beautiful city.