BEST WESTERN Macrander Hotel Dresden

The world of the GDR

The DDR Museum in the Simmel-Center is one of the city's most popular attractions. The museum is spread over four floors, each of which is dedicated to a particular theme, such as work, home, electronics and vehicles. The museum is private and unlike many state-owned DDR museums, Die Welt der DDR offers the unique chaotic charm of a small-scale private collection. The museum offers everything from an impressive collection of Trabants to a detailed timeline of the Cold War.

The Three Castles on the Elbe

Just 3 km east of the centre of Dresden you will find the three stunning castles on the Elbe. Schloss Albrechtsberg, Lingnerschloss and Schloss Eckberg are known as the three castles on the Elbe and they are a great visit while strolling along the river. If you cross to the other side of the river you can enjoy the castles at their best. All three were built between 1850 and 1861 and are set in fine English-style parkland.

Kennel

Like about 80% of Dresden, the Zwinger was destroyed by Allied bombing between 13 and 15 February 1945. But the palace was rebuilt in the late 1950s. The Zwinger is probably Germany's most famous Baroque building, filled with beautiful paintings that can be enjoyed in the Zwinger Museum, among other places. The paintings were hidden in the Soviet Union during the war and later returned to the city. One of the main attractions is the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister museum, which houses works by Raphael, Giorgione and Titian. Also visit the Armoury, which has an impressive collection of old weapons and battle armour.

The Zwinger also houses a very famous porcelain exhibition and here the Chinese and Japanese collections are of particular note.

Semperoper

The Semperoper is Dresden's opera house, built in 1841 by architect Gottfried Semper. The opera house has been rebuilt too many times, first after the fire of 1864, then after the Allied bombing campaigns of 1945 and most recently in 2002 after the great and devastating floods of central Europe.

The Opera House has many premieres to its credit, including works by Richard Wagner and Richard Strauss. If there are music-loving members of your family, see if there are tickets for sale in the impressive building.

Dresden

The German city of Dresden is also the capital of the state of Saxony and is located in the Elbe river valley between Berlin and Prague. Dresden is also known as 'Elbflorenz' or Florence of the Elbe, thanks to the city's layout and surroundings with vineyards on the slopes of the Elbe.

The city has served as the residence of Saxon kings and electors, and developed especially under August the Strong, as an important cultural city with famous buildings such as Frauenkirche, Schloss Pillnitz and Zwinger, all built in August's reign between 1694-1733.

After 2. World War II, Dresden ended up in the GDR, but the city has come back strong after the fall of the Wall and German reunification. A number of chip manufacturers have set up in the area and there are also several research institutes and universities in the city. Dresden has therefore also been called Saxony's Silicon Valley.

There are several interesting art collections and in particular Dresden SKD is famous for its collection of art and Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister is clearly worth a visit if goldsmith art is of interest. At the Zwinger Palace there is also an interesting exhibition of mathematical instruments from the Baroque and Enlightenment periods, visit the 'Mathematisch-Physikalischer Salon'.

The Old Town of Dresden is charming and lively, with a buzz of people and activities. The Altmarkt-Galerie shopping arcade is a great place to start your shopping trip in the inner city, which also has its share of pavement cafés and restaurants. By the way, every Friday there is a market in Lingner-Allee.

Striezel market

Striezelmarkt is the oldest and largest Christmas market in Germany and was first mentioned back in 1434. The Christmas market is named after the local Christmas cake, Strietzel. A huge experience for both children and adults with many highlights such as the Pflaumentoffelhaus, the Knusperhaus, the Christmas bakery and at the same time several music events are held. Especially in the days leading up to Christmas Eve, various celebrations are held and the Stollenfest, on 5 December, is a particular attraction with the giant Stollen Christmas cake being transported from the Zwinger to the Striezelmarkt, in Dresden city centre, by horse-drawn carriage and then cut up and distributed to the many attendees amid great festivity. Enjoy a glass of warm Glühwein, some Christmas cake or fragrant chestnuts, but don't forget to sink your teeth into the famous Christstollen Christmas cake.

Christmas market in Dresden

Dates.
The Striezelmarkt - 26.11. – 24.12.
Dresden Winter Lights Market - Dates: 26.11. - 23.12.
Augustusmarkt - Dates: 26.11. - 04.01.
The Christmas Market on the Neumarkt - Dates: 26.11. – 04.01.

Opening hours
The Striezelmarkt - 10.00-21.00
Dresden Winter Lights Market - Sun-Thu: 11.00-20.00 Fri-Sat: 10.00-21.00
Augustusmarkt - Mon-Thu: 11.00-21.00 Fri: 11.00-22.00 Sat: 10.00-21.00 Sun: 10.00-21.00
The Christmas Market on the Neumarkt - 11.00-22.00

Please note that dates and opening hours may vary. You can visit the Christmas market's own website with current information.

The smell of mulled wine and gingerbread spreads through the baroque city of Dresden when the city's famous Christmas market opens in November and December.

The Christmas market in Dresden is also called Strizelmarkt, which is derived from the name of the famous local dried fruit Christmas cake, Dresdner Stollen. The Christmas market is one of the oldest in Germany and dates back to 1434.

Here you can find genuine traditional crafts from Christmas pyramids to candlesticks from the Erzebirge mountains, while you can also see glassblowers and bakers in action at the market. Every year you can also have the pleasure of seeing the largest step pyramid from the Erzebirge; a Christmas decoration more than 14 metres high.

Frauenkirche

The beautiful church was unfortunately destroyed in 1945 as a result of one of the most violent aerial bombardments during WWII. It burnt down in the ensuing firestorm. However, the Frauenkirche was reborn in 2005 after a lengthy restoration, begun in 1994.

According to history, a church should have stood on the same spot since the year 1000, but the original Frauenkirche dates from the 18th century and was completed and ready for use in 1743. The church was designed by the architect George Bähr, who unfortunately never saw it completed as he died in 1738.

The church's huge dome became a landmark for the city and has seen a bit of everything, including being bombed by the Prussian army in 1760 without being damaged, and then the church was also the centre of the May Uprising in 1849.