Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony located in a valley on the River Elbe. It is near the border with the Czech Republic. The city was known as the Jewel Box because of its baroque and rococo city center. The controversial American and British bombing of Dresden in WWII towards the end of the war killed approximately 25,000 many of whom were civilians. The entire city center was destroyed.
On a personal note, Dresden was my favorite city. It reminded me of Florence, Italy and is known as the Florence of Germany.
Frauenkirche, Church of our Lady, was a former Cathlolic Church but became Lutheran church during the Reformation. It is considered an outstanding example of Protestant sacred architecture featuring one of the largest domes in Europe. It now serves as a symbol of reconciliation between former enemies.
View from the Frauenkirche Dome of the River Elbe.
A statue of Martin Luther, founder of the Lutheran religion, in the Neumarkt. It was not destroyed during the bombings. After-above; Before-Below
Lodging: We stayed at the QF Hotel off the old square. I would give it a 5 out of 5 starts. The hotel was very modern and the location to everything was perfect. The breakfast was free with the room price and well worth it. International cuisine for any culture.
Dresden was rebuilt after WWII funded by the State of Saxony. Even though there are many cathedrals in Eastern Europe, most of the are not used for religious purposes. About 80% of the Eastern Europeans are atheist. Nazism and Communism did not blend well with religion.
Inside the Frauenkirche
The Dresden Symphonic Orchestra at the Frauenkirche