Dresden - There's no there there.
Written: Apr 19 '05 (Updated Oct 21 '05)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Zwinger museum
Cons: Just not all that exciting.
The Bottom Line: Definitely not the most exciting place I've seen in Europe.
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| lyagushka's Full Review: Dresden |
Just before leaving Europe, my husband and I spent three full days in Dresden so that he could attend a business conference. That left me to explore this Saxon town on my own during the days. Unfortunately, our mid-March visit coincided with a return to deep winter weather in Dresden. It was extremely cold and windy, with temperatures remaining well below freezing even in early afternoon. There was already snow on the ground, and more continued to fall during our visit, leaving the streets and sidewalks slushy, while the sullen skies wore an unwelcoming grey color. The icy, nearly constant winds that howled along the river made sightseeing a test of endurance and fortitude.
Dresden's main attractions lie in the sleepy old town center on the north bank of the Elbe River. There aren't all that many main attractions here, but it will probably take a few days to see them all anyway, because none of the museums open until 10am, which will frustrate those travelers (like myself) who like to make the most of the day by getting an early start. Also, most of the main draws are closed on Mondays.
In contrast to many other parts of Germany, I found that very few people spoke much English in Dresden. It seems that tourism either isn't much of a factor in the economy of Dresden, or its inhabitants have consciously decided not to make too many concessions to the visitors it brings. I rarely found a menu in English, and there were also few pamphlets or tourist flyers in English. Even people working in the tourism industry managed to muster only a few rudimentary phrases. This wasn't really a problem for me as a visitor, but those looking to bond with the residents had better plan on boning up their German skills.
Attractions
The Kreuzkirche looks like it was rebuilt from its own rubble. Blackened and tan stone masonry sit side by side in the massive façade. Stepping inside as much to see the church as to get some relief from the biting cold, I was underwhelmed by interior. There really wasn't much to hold the interest. The view from the bell tower of this church was recommended to me, but I have to say that this was equally unimpressive. After paying €1.50 and climbing a great many steep stairs, I was ready to leave almost as soon as I reached the top. Unless you really want a look at some massive church bells, I would advise you to skip this church.
One fairly impressive but free attraction in the old town of Dresden is the Meisen ceramic tile wall, close to the north side of the Augustus Bridge. The wall is at least 100 meters long, with tiles depicting a procession of Saxon kings and dignitaries throughout the ages. The Meisen factory is apparently famous in Germany for its fine porcelain. Another free thing to do is simply to stand on the southern bank of the Elbe near the Augustus Bridge at night. The sight of the buildings on the far bank, all lit up with spotlights in the dark is quite beautiful, especially for those who aren't accustomed to seeing fancy European architecture day in and day out.
There are a few different riverboat tours operated by the Sächsishe Dampfschiffahrt company each day. This company owns and maintains the largest fleet of steamship paddleboats in the world. I decided to try the Schlossfahrt tour, which heads upstream from the center to view the many palaces. The little steamboat made its way upriver at a rather stately pace. It was a relaxing two-and-a-half-hour tour. Many of the private homes along the river were as impressive as the castles. There must be a fair amount of economic recovery going on in this city. I enjoyed the tour, but it didn't bowl me over. It was a good opportunity to see something of Dresden and the surrounding area in very cold weather, and I would recommend it to other wintertime visitors. Perhaps it would be enjoyable to sit on the open upper deck in the summer as well, but in wintertime all the passengers were crowded into the heated dining deck. The tours leave from the southeast side of the Augustus Bridge daily. The Sächsishe Dampfschiffahrt Company accepts only cash for the sale of these tickets.
I accepted a brochure from the Stadtrundfahrt Sightseeing Tour company, which offered a double-decker bus circuit tour, with recordings in several languages, including English. However, when I found that they wanted €18 for a one-day ticket, I balked. Perhaps I would've gotten a better feel for the city as a whole if I'd tried this tour, but the price seemed unreasonably high to me, especially when compared with the generally low prices of most things in Dresden. The thought of getting off at one of the stops and then waiting for the next one, given that the frequency of the buses was only one per hour, didn't tempt me either.
An old Baroque palace houses the modern Zwinger museum, which is divided into four separate galleries, each of which contains collections on various themes. It's possible to buy a "tageskarte" or day ticket for €10, which gives access to all of the Zwinger collections as well as the Albertinum. I visited three of the four galleries and the most impressive one by far was the Armory exhibit ("rüstkammer"). This exhibit was easily the best collection of medieval armor and weaponry I've seen anywhere. It put the collection in Venice's Palazzo Ducale to shame. The Old Masters Gallery and the Porcelain Collection of the Zwinger were also very nice. The Old Masters Gallery contained some wonderful pieces by Rubens. I liked the fact that each collection occupied its own gallery as it gave me the chance to get outside and have some fresh air and stretch my legs between viewings. I spent anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour and a half in each gallery, and I was thankful that most of the exhibit signs were translated into English, if not into any other language. There were also bilingual pamphlets available that gave decent overviews of the collections. I only skipped the Mathematics and Physics Salon in the Zwinger.
Since my ticket also granted admission to the Albertinum, I walked over that way along the beautiful Brühlische Terrasse, which flanks the Elbe River. This terrace would be a beautiful place for a stroll on a summer evening. But with the wintry winds blasting along the river, I got my chilly walk over and done with as quickly as possible. The Albertinum was also divided into three separate galleries housing paintings by the "New Masters," a collection of ancient sculpture and a gallery devoted to the work of Ernst Rietschel, a neo-classical sculptor. Here I concentrated on the two separate sculpture halls. I enjoyed the neo-classical sculpture more than I expected to. There were several portrait sculptures of prominent Dresden residents and some on classical themes as well. The ancient sculpture gallery seemed to be a poorer cousin of the neo-classical gallery although there were some extremely prestigious pieces from Mesopotamia and Egypt. I enjoyed the time I spent in these two galleries.
Restaurants
The enormous Waldschloss restaurant commands an imposing river view, perched as it is on the Neustadt bank. This building was originally an old hunting lodge of the Saxon kings, and then later converted to a brewery. Sadly, despite the huge number of tables and the existence of several discrete dining rooms, there is not a single non-smoking area in the entire restaurant. More tragically still, the food was severely mediocre. My husband thought the beer was the bee's knees though. I couldn't recommend it.
On the other hand, the small and unpretentious Swarz Market Café served up great food at very affordable prices with snappy service. It too lacks a non-smoking area, but on a Sunday evening it was practically deserted, so the smoke wasn't an issue. I especially enjoyed the pork medallions in morel cream sauce served with schupfnudeln, a type of large, hand-rolled potato noodles that had apparently been pan-fried.
Final Thoughts
I'd be less than honest if I didn't admit that Dresden failed to impress me. It's not that there's anything specifically unpleasant about the town. I just didn't find that there was all that much there to hold my interest, nor was Dresden very oriented towards visitors. The small old town was pretty, but once outside this area, I could have been in any of several dozen non-descript European towns. I was specifically disappointed that I wasn't able to find an exhibit that addressed the bombing of Dresden at the end of the second World War. I think that I might have had more of an appreciation for the current state of the town if I'd been able to learn more about its history. In the end, I'm not sorry I accompanied my husband for his business trip, but I wouldn't do it again either, especially in winter.
I would, by the way, very highly recommend the excellent Dresden Westin Bellevue to anyone staying in Dresden.
Looking for more information on Germany? These reviews might be of interest to you:
• Munich - simply a fantastic city, with so much to see and do!
• Nuremberg -a smaller, more northerly Bavarian town with a great Christmas market
• Aachen - home to marvelous hot springs & a World Heritage Site
• Bavarian Cuisine - is a lot more impressive than you might imagine
Recommended:
No
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