In the footsteps of Kurt Vonnegut - Slaughterhouse Nb.5 Tour
Dear Guests of Dresden.We offer from Thursday to Sunday every day a NEW city tour in english language!
“In the footsteps of Kurt Vonnegut - Slaughterhous 5 Tour”
At 2 p.m. you will meet the guides at the Theaterplace in front of the Semperoper of Dresden.
The price per person is 12,00 Euro excl. ticket for the local transport system.
You will get short information about the the history of Dresden, the time after rebuilding of the City and the history of the Slaughterhouse - where was in the WW II a POW Camp. On this time Kurt Vonnegut survived the attack on Dresden.
We want to remind these well-known American artist.
Welcome to this new tour of Dresden.
We will inform you in english or german language as well!
Please call for booking: 0351 - 8013361 or 0172 - 78 15 007
In the footsteps of Kurt Vonnegut - Slaughterhouse Nb.5 Tour
Dear Guests of Dresden.We offer from Thursday to Sunday every day a NEW city tour in english language!
“In the footsteps of Kurt Vonnegut - Slaughterhous 5 Tour”
At 2 p.m. you will meet the guides at the Theaterplace in front of the Semperoper of Dresden.
The price per person is 12,00 Euro excl. ticket for the local transport system.
You will get short information about the the history of Dresden, the time after rebuilding of the City and the history of the Slaughterhouse - where was in the WW II a POW Camp. On this time Kurt Vonnegut survived the attack on Dresden.
We want to remind these well-known American artist.
Welcome to this new tour of Dresden.
We will inform you in english or german language as well!
Please call for booking: 0049 (0)172 - 78 15 007
Elb Valley a World Heritage
The 18th and 19th century cultural landscape of Dresden Elbe Valley extends some 18-km along the river from Übigau Palace and Ostragehege fields in the northwest to the Pillnitz Palace and the Elbe River Island in the southeast. It features low meadows, and is crowned by the Pillnitz Palace and the centre of Dresden with its numerous monuments and parks from the 16th to the 20th centuries. The landscape also features 19th and 20th century suburban villas and gardens and valuable natural features. Some terraced slopes along the river are still used for viticulture and some old villages have retained their historic structure and elements from the industrial revolution: notably the 147-m Blue Wonder steel bridge (1891-1893), the single-rail suspension cable railway (1898-1901), and the funicular (1894-1895). The passenger steamships (the oldest from 1879) and shipyard (ca 1900) are still in usDresden - Stadt der Wissenschaft 2006
Dresden darf sich im Jahr 2006 als "Stadt der Wissenschaft" nennen. Das hat der Stifterverband für die Deutsche Wissenschaft entschieden.In Dresden ist die Wirtschaft, Wissenschaft und Bevölkerung besonders stark miteinander verbunden. Seit 15 Jahren hat die Stadt konsequent Schwerpunkte in Naturwissenschaften und Technik gesetzt, ohne ihre jahrhundertlange Tradition in Kunst und Kultur zu leugnen.
Es werden dazu verschiedene Veranstaltungen organisiert, darunter die "Lange Nacht der Wissenschaft",Mitmach - Ausstellungen, Diskussionen und Vorträge sowie Angebote für Kinder und Jugendliche.
Attractive Surroundings
Near Dresden you may find romantically situated palaces and castles with historical reference to the Wettin dynasty. In the parks and gardens, such as Pillnitz and Gross-Sedlitz, or in the vineyards around Radebeul you can enjoy the landscape and developed nature on walking tours. Or take a trip in a relaxed atmosphere on a steamer from Dresden to Saxon Switzerland and let the unique Elbe landscape with its palaces and castles pass by.Meissen:
Meissen is the historical cradle of Saxony.
The Albrechtsburg Castle is considered to be the earliest example of a residential castle in Germany, while the adjoining cathedral is an impressive jewel of pure Gothic. A sea of houses with pointed roofs and gables spreads out below the castle hill.
The "crossed blue swords", the trademark for Meissen porcelain, are known the world over. The famous Meissen porcelain manufactory presents masterpieces in "white gold" past and present
Moritzburg:
The impressive Baroque Hunting lodge, surrounded by stretches of water, enjoys the reputation of being one of the finest palaces of its kind in Europe.
In the Rüdenhof, the final and only surviving home of Käthe Kollwitz, a number of works and personal documents recall this great German graphic artist and sculptress.
Saxon Switzerland:
The finest panorama of the deeply cut Elbe valley and the surrounding table mountains is offered by the Bastei Rocks. Below the viewpoint, in Rathen, one of the most beautiful natural open-air theatres in Europe awaits visitors in summer. Its repertoire covers opera and theatre, including Karl May's American Indian stories. Further upstream on the opposite side of the river, Königstein Fortress, the largest fortress complex in Germany, thrones over the little town of the same name.
The nearby Baroque Garden Gross-Sedlitz, which was laid out in the French style, is well worth a short detour. The little town of Pirna is known as the gateway to the Saxon Switzerland.
Wesenstein:
Southeast from Dresden lies Weesenstein Castle with its buildings full of nooks and crannies and recesses. The facility, grown over centuries, is a popular destination for excursions in Dresden's nearer surroundings due to its romantic location high up on a rock spur above the river Müglitz and its baroque park. The baroque-classicist facilities of the castle kitchen are particularly worth seeing. As private property of King Johann of Saxony (Philaletes) , a ruler with great artistic sense, Weesenstein attained fame in 1830.
In historical ambience a variety of events or culinary enjoyment from the castle's kitchen and café await you. Weesenstein Castle Beer is also available again.
Culture and Society
The former residence of the Wettin dynasty is a city of art and culture with magnificent buildings, many museums of world class as well as venues and ensembles with a rich tradition of theatrical and musical history.The Saxon State Orchestra cultivates Dresden's high reputation as a metropolis of opera at the historical site of the Semper Opera House. Another three ensembles of world renown represent Dresden's great musical history: the Saxon State Opera, the Dresden Philharmonic Orchestra and the Dresden Kreuzchor boys' choir.
More than ten stages offer interesting performances ranging from classical drama, through comedy to satirical revues.
Festivals and activities belong to Dresden's lively cultural scene. The Dresden Music Festival, the Dresden Festival of Contemporary Music or the second largest Dixieland Festival in the world have a fixed position in the cultural life of the city.
The Zwinger is home to the famous "Old Masters" art gallery and to the largest porcelain collection in the world. The former royal jewel collection in the "Green Vault" on the Brühl Terrace is also well-known throughout the world.
The locals also regularly celebrate the Dresden Steam Locomotive Festival , the Steamer parade or the "Elbhangfest" riverside festival.
The Electors and Kings of Saxony were enthusiastic collectors of art and acquired art treasures of immeasurable value over the course of the centuries.
With his Electoral collection of cabinet pieces, Elector Augustus laid the foundation for the original collection in Dresden, which was counted among the most remarkable sights in Europe as early as the 17th century.
So rapidly did the collectibles grow in number and variety that special museums were founded as long ago as the 18th century.
Thanks to the collections, state-owned since 1924, Dresden is one of the most important museum cities in Europe today.
The best-known museum of the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden is certainly the Old Masters Picture Gallery in the Semper museum building adjoining the Zwinger, where the most famous painting is Raffael's Sistine Madonna.
The New Masters Picture Gallery in the Albertinum building on Brühl's Terrace holds important works from the Romantic period to the present day.
From the 08.09.04 have the Grünes Gewölbe (Green Vault) a new domicil, the Royal Palace, the widely known, most valuable German collection of more than 3,000 works of applied arts. The subjects of the 37 Dresden museums range from civic history to military history, from the Technical Collections (Technische Sammlungen) to the Book Museum.
The historic centre of the city on the River Elbe should be explored on foot - from the Zwinger and the Semper Opera House to the Royal Palace, which is under reconstruction, on to the Frauenkirche and to Brühl's Terrace, and to the town houses in the inner new city (Innere Neustadt).
After bad wartime destruction, Dresden has regained much of its original charm as a remarkable and attractive city.
Modern architecture merges with the historical city centre.
Relaxation, Leisure Time, Alternative Culture
The range of art and culture Dresden has in store for its visitors includes some of the world's greatest cultural achievements as well as the bustling, creative life in the urban districts, together with a fascinating "alternative scene".
Dresden has many facets: world-famous museums and places of interest, the romantic Elbe landscape, Saxon hospitality and a colourful alternative culture.
An evening in Dresden can offer more than opera, concerts or theatre. Those in the mood for a tour through bars and cafes can enjoy themselves immensely in the Neustadt quarter. On Hauptstrasse, Rähnitzgasse and Königstrasse restaurants of all types are to be found.
You can find international and Saxon cuisine round about the Albertplatz square. Start here and head into Alaunstrasse where alternative bars and cafés alternate with restaurants serving international cuisine.
Besides individual possibilities of active recreation out in the open on the banks of the Elbe or in the Grosser Garten park you will find manifold offers in the swimming centres and also in the sports and multi-purpose halls.
Skaters are invited to night-skating in Dresden. From April to October, approx. 3000 sport fans start every Friday at 9 p.m. on a 20 kilometre tour through Dresden at night. (The following links are only available in German)
Actually just a stone's throw from all the museums and baroque splendour of the historical city centre is the Outer Neustadt district on the opposite side of the Elbe, home to alternative culture. An ideal starter is a walk along Louisenstrasse and Alaunstrasse which forms a cross through the centre of the whole area.
The trendiest shops for fashion, jewellery and music are to be found between Alaunstrasse and Rothenburger Strasse.
Be sure not to miss the interestingly designed Kunsthof Passage between Alaunstrasse and Görlitzer Strasse with its craft-art shops ,restaurants,pubs and gay - clubs.
An absolute must is also the Pfund's Dairy in the Bautzner Strasse. Near by there you can find the famos Travestie Theater Carte Blanche.
Geography
Dresden is at an altitude of 113m/372 ft. It is locaed in the valley of the river Elbe.Dresdens summers are warm with frequent rainfall. Winters can be cold. The amount of snowfall and average temperatures are influenced by altitude rather than by diverse climate regions.
The weather is continental in that it varies from year to year, so chilly spring and rainy summers can be followed by spectacular sunshine in the next year.
Dresden´s Location is in the South-East of Germany. It is the capital of the federal province Saxony which is surrounded by the states of Brandenburg, Sachsen-Anhalt and Thuringia. Dresden is about 2,5 hrs away from Prague as well as Berlin and 1,0 hour from Leipzig as well as Goerlitz - a famous old city on the border to Poland.
Dresden is located in the valley of the River Elbe. It is the 15 large city of poulation and the 4 large city of the plain. With 63 per cent of its area devoted to woods and green spaces, Dresden can be considered one of the greenest cities in Europe. The urban area of Dresden has, for example 4 protected nature areas with 350 hectares and 12 protected landscape areas with 11,500 hectares. Green spaces and recreation areas cover an area of 890 hectares. The heath lands of the "Dresdner Heide" embrace the city in the north, while the "Grosser Garten" park spreads out extensively at the very heart of the city. The Elbe winds its way through the city, lined by broad meadows, vineyards and parks.
Nature and recreation are at the very heart of Dresden, for example in the "Grosser Garten" park, the most beautiful and largest of the many parks. The park is also home to the Zoological Garden as well as the Botanical Garden.
Practical Information
Formalities:You need a passport to enter Germany. Countries belonging to the European Union, as well as Australia, New Zealand, USA, Canada, Argentina, Brazil, Israel and Japan, do not need a visa for stays of up to three months. For countries not listed, check with your German Embassy as to whether you need a visa or not.
Getting There:
Dresden is located in Northern Europe. It is in the South East of Germany for travellers coming from the East or Berlin. The City of Dresden possesses ideal connections by rail, road, river and air both with its immediate surroundings but also with more distant destinations. Within the city, too, Dresdeners and their guests are offered an efficient transport network. Other airports nearby are Leipzig and Altenburg (Ryan Air).
Getting Around:
Modern and traditional means of transport are meshed into a carefully planned and efficient network. Whether by suburban railway, bus and tram, Elbe ferry or cable car: practically every destination in the city can be reached conveniently, quickly inexpensively. A ticket for one hour costs 1,60 Euro, a familypass for the whole day 5,00 Euro. You can use the transport system to visit the surroundings of Dresden - like Meissen, Saxon Switzerland, Moritzburg (Baroque Hunting lodge).
More information you get at the hostels or check out http://www.dvb.de .
General Facts
The Elbe and the gently rolling landscape between Saxon Switzerland and Meissen determine the nature in which the city on the river is embedded. The climate is equally beneficial for the development of the arts and for viniculture. The inhabitants are known for their own special charm, Saxon hospitality is proverbial. At the same time Dresden is a modern city with the flair of the former Saxon residence - simply a place with life style.Official Language: German
Spoken Languages:
In Dresden live Vietnamese, Turkish, Cubans, Americans and other nationals. You will find mostly English as a second language, especially amongst studends.
Most of the population of Dresden speak a second language - they are just afraid to use it!
Population: 474730 of which 16208 are foreigners
Currency: the EURO
