July 4, 2023 - Dresden, Germany

 Sooz and I are feeling a little under the weather today, we both caught a cold.  We still went out to explore Dresden but Sooz had the brilliant idea to do it by bus, which we did.  We rode a 2-level tourist bus all around Dresden and were impressed with the variety of architecture and how big the City is.  

Dresden in the 1880s was designing the downtown area and stipulating that the footprint of a house in the wealthy area could not take up more than 50% of the lot width - the beginning of exclusionary zoning.

Today a large music festival is happening in a large town square just a few blocks from our hotel.  There was a fairly good crowd listening to musicians we never heard of couldn't understand, but it was fun to get a feel for it.  There were a lot of police present, including snipers on one of the buildings so the performers must have been well known. Also, the presidents of France and Germany were supposed to show but Macron of France backed out due to the riots in his country and I don't think the President of Germany showed up.

Short concert video HERE

Sooz standing guard over the GS as we get ready to check in to our hotel in Dresden

Our first meal in Dresden

Frauenkirche Dresden - The Protestant Baroque church reconsecrated in 2005 after being destroyed in World War II, with guided tours.  If you zoom in you can see a statue of Martin Luther.  It's also the main stage for the concert.

A blowup of the ML statue

The concert just outside our hotel

Kathedrale Sanctissimae Trinitatis Catholic church

Ferris wheel

Dresdner Zwinger - The Zwinger is a palatial complex with gardens in Dresden, Germany. Designed by architect Matthäus Daniel Pöppelmann, it is one of the most important buildings of the Baroque period in Germany. Along with the Frauenkirche, the Zwinger is the most famous architectural monument of Dresden.

Style: Neo-renaissance, Baroque

Location: Dresden, Germany

Construction started: 1710

VW manufacturing plant in Dresden

Fürstenzug Mural - This long, dramatic mural made of porcelain tiles depicts Saxon rulers throughout the ages.  It was originally painted between 1871 and 1876 to celebrate the 800th anniversary of the Wettin Dynasty, Saxony's ruling family. In order to make the work weatherproof, it was replaced with approximately 23,000 Meissen porcelain tiles between 1904 and 1907. With a length of 102 metres (335 ft), it is known as the largest porcelain artwork in the world. The mural displays the ancestral portraits of the 35 margraves, electors, dukes and kings of the House of Wettin between 1127 and 1904.

Very fancy drain covers and emblems

Lots of police for the concert

Another light, German dinner of meatballs, gravy, potatoes and a sprig of salad - see Hausgemachte Klopse (Homemade Klopse)

Good, solid German meals from the menu at the Kunst Café Antik restaurant

Sooz's dinner called Sauerbrauten - it reminded her of what her grandmother used to make