Tours & Activities in Dresden
Dresden, beautifully set at the river Elbe, is one of Germany's most beautiful cities. It is hard to imagine that most of it was painstakingly reconstructed following the severe bombings during World War 2.
The city is known for its unique Saxon baroque architecture, which looks so delicate and light that it almost reminisces of porcelain... which is actually another of Dresden's unique features.
This tour will take you around the city centre of Dresden and will cover the history from the Middle Ages, through the golden era of Saxony, when its prince-electors were also Kings of Poland and Grand Dukes of Lithuania towards the dark time of Nazism, the destruction of the city in the infamous carpet bombing, the Cold War to its current, modern time.
In past centuries Dresden was considered the pearl of the European baroque, with its many churches, palaces and museums. The polemic bombardment of allies at the end of the Second War and the subsequent administration of the communist government have completely changed the character and atmosphere of this German city. During the 2-hour guided tour in Spanish we will go into this fascinating history of ancient splendor, the destruction of the War and the impressive reconstruction in the time of German reunification. Our tour begins next to the statue of King John I of Saxony (König-Johann-Denkmal) in Theaterplatz square in front of the famous Semper opera. It is there where we will find out about the Wettin dynasty, under which the city flourished with culture, art and architecture. Then we will continue to cover the most important points such as: The Zwinger Palace - a real baroque jewel The Dresden Palace - the museum of the famous Grünes Gewölbe ("green vault" and other treasures of the Saxon monarchy The Hofkirche cathedral - Cathedral of the Blessed Trinity largest religious building in Saxony Fürstenzug- longest tile mural in the world Concluding in front of the emblematic Church of Our Lady (Frauenkirche) - a visible symbol of German effort to rebuild its historical heritage
Cross the Elbe and explore Neustadt, a district with a rich and dynamic past. From its origins as a fishing village to a Baroque city, through the Industrial Revolution and wartime destruction, to the cultural upheaval of the 1990s, Neustadt captures the true spirit of Dresden!
We will start our tour at the Golden Rider statue and stroll through the Baroque splendour of Königstraße and Albertplatz. We will see other historical sites of the inner Neustadt like the Kügelgenhaus and the Dreikönigskirche. Then we will experience the vibrant, counter-culture atmosphere of the outer Neustadt filled with graffiti, street art, and renowned nightlife. We will stop at the Assi-Eck intersection - the nightlife hub, and popular Martin Luther Square and see the Kunsthofpassage, a complex of courtyards transformed by local artists into art zones. We will then pass by the Old Jewish Cemetery and end at the world's most beautiful milk shop, adorned with neo-Renaissance tiles.
Join us to see the contrasting faces of Neustadt and learn about its fascinating history. This tour will change the way you see Dresden forever!
During the 2-hour tour, you will see:
- Kügelgenhaus
- Dreikönigskirche
- Königstraße
- Albertplatz
- Scheune
- Kunsthofpassage
- Assi-Eck intersection
- Martin-Luther-Platz
- Old Jewish Cemetery
- Pfunds Molkerei
On my tour I want to share with you the incredibly beautiful historical and historically rebuilt city center of Dresden. By walking through the "Altstadt" we will discover the beauties that this city has to offer and I hope to give you an insight on German history and culture within our walk of about two hours.
I am Paul, and academically trained teacher for English and History and I am thrilled to show you the gems of my city. We will hear about the rich history of the region of Saxony as well as Germany and East Germany's socialist past as we stroll past examples of baroque and Renaissance as well as socialist architecture.
