Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady) The ruin of the Frauenkirche on the Neumarkt square was until a few years ago a warning reminder of the senseless destruction of Dresden at the end of the Second World War. Today, as the stones of the ruin are slowly pieced back together, it has become a symbol for reconciliation and tolerance, for the reconstruction and growing self-confidence of the City. George Bähr's Frauenkirche represents the culmination of Baroque Protestant church architecture. Its concave, bell-shaped, apparently unsupported sandstone dome was a sensation for architects of the time and was the widely visible centrepiece of the City silhouette until the destruction of 1945. The Baroque decoration of the chancel was the work of Johann Gottfried Feige, while the dome was painted by Giovanni Battista Grone. The Silbermann organ in the church resounded for the first time in 1736, and on 1 December of the same year a recital was given by Johann Sebastian Bach. The Frauenkirche was famous for its acoustics. In a few years time it will once again shine out in its full splendour - thanks to the support of people from all over the world.
Kreuzkirche (Church of the Holy Cross) The plain but nonetheless impressive building of the Kreuzkirche stands in the City centre, at the south-east corner of the Altmarkt square. It received its name from a crucifix relic dating from the 14th century. Following destruction on several occasions, the former town church was given its present Classicist form by Johann Georg Schmid and Christian Friedrich Exner between 1764 and 1792. The original Baroque interior was lost following the destruction of the City in 1945 and was replaced with decorative roughcasting. The elegantly topped 91-metre high tower is open to visitors. The Kreuzkirche is the home of the Kreuzchor choir and an important venue for concerts of sacral music. In 1989 the church was a symbol and meeting place for the citizens' and peace movements. The Altmarkt in front of the church, with its arcades, shops and restaurants, is the site for the traditional Dresdner Striezelmarkt Christmas market.
Address: Altmarkt Openings= Tel:
Katholische Hofkirche (Cathedral St. Trinitatis) In 1697 Augustus the Strong converted to the Catholic faith in order to lay a claim to the Polish crown. It was left to his son Augustus III, however, to complete the building of the Catholic Court Church, despite the protests of the predominantly Protestant population. The project was managed between 1738 and 1754 by Italian architect Gaetano Chiaveri, the last master of Roman Baroque. The impressive spire of the church is an important part of the famous "Canaletto view" of the Dresden silhouette. 78 stone figures ornament the balustrades and niches. The interior presents a Rococo pulpit by Permoser, a Silbermann organ and a high altarpiece by Mengs. Four crypts contain the tombs of 49 Catholic Saxon rulers and a vessel with the heart of Augustus the Strong, whose body lies in Krakow. The church was badly damaged during the Second World War. In 1980 it was raised to the status of cathedral of the diocese of Dresden-Meissen.
Address: Openings= Tel:
Dreikönigskirche (Church of the Epiphany) The Dreikönigskirche is the oldest Evangelical church in the Neustadt district. The old Gothic parish church also fell victim to the great fire of 1685. Rebuilt on the same site in 1686 by Knöffel Voigt, it had to make way for the redesigning of the whole City quarter just forty years later. In 1739 Pöppelmann, Bähr and Fehre built the Dreikönigskirche in the form in which we are able to admire it on Hauptstrasse today. The 87.5-metre high West Tower was not added until 1854/57. The church was burned out completely in 1945. Between 1984 and 1990 is was reconstructed as a "House of the Church", though maintaining the outer appearance of the original church. From 1990 to 1992 it was temporary home for sittings of the Saxon Parliament. A point of special interest is the restored altar of sculptor Benjamin Thomae.
Address: Openings= Tel:
Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady) The ruin of the Frauenkirche on the Neumarkt square was until a few years ago a warning reminder of the senseless destruction of Dresden at the end of the Second World War. Today, as the stones of the ruin are slowly pieced back together, it has become a symbol for reconciliation and tolerance, for the reconstruction and growing self-confidence of the City. George Bähr's Frauenkirche represents the culmination of Baroque Protestant church architecture. Its concave, bell-shaped, apparently unsupported sandstone dome was a sensation for architects of the time and was the widely visible centrepiece of the City silhouette until the destruction of 1945. The Baroque decoration of the chancel was the work of Johann Gottfried Feige, while the dome was painted by Giovanni Battista Grone. The Silbermann organ in the church resounded for the first time in 1736, and on 1 December of the same year a recital was given by Johann Sebastian Bach. The Frauenkirche was famous for its acoustics. In a few years time it will once again shine out in its full splendour - thanks to the support of people from all over the world.
Kreuzkirche (Church of the Holy Cross) The plain but nonetheless impressive building of the Kreuzkirche stands in the City centre, at the south-east corner of the Altmarkt square. It received its name from a crucifix relic dating from the 14th century. Following destruction on several occasions, the former town church was given its present Classicist form by Johann Georg Schmid and Christian Friedrich Exner between 1764 and 1792. The original Baroque interior was lost following the destruction of the City in 1945 and was replaced with decorative roughcasting. The elegantly topped 91-metre high tower is open to visitors. The Kreuzkirche is the home of the Kreuzchor choir and an important venue for concerts of sacral music. In 1989 the church was a symbol and meeting place for the citizens' and peace movements. The Altmarkt in front of the church, with its arcades, shops and restaurants, is the site for the traditional Dresdner Striezelmarkt Christmas market.
Address: Altmarkt Openings= Tel:
Katholische Hofkirche (Cathedral St. Trinitatis) In 1697 Augustus the Strong converted to the Catholic faith in order to lay a claim to the Polish crown. It was left to his son Augustus III, however, to complete the building of the Catholic Court Church, despite the protests of the predominantly Protestant population. The project was managed between 1738 and 1754 by Italian architect Gaetano Chiaveri, the last master of Roman Baroque. The impressive spire of the church is an important part of the famous "Canaletto view" of the Dresden silhouette. 78 stone figures ornament the balustrades and niches. The interior presents a Rococo pulpit by Permoser, a Silbermann organ and a high altarpiece by Mengs. Four crypts contain the tombs of 49 Catholic Saxon rulers and a vessel with the heart of Augustus the Strong, whose body lies in Krakow. The church was badly damaged during the Second World War. In 1980 it was raised to the status of cathedral of the diocese of Dresden-Meissen.
Address: Openings= Tel:
Dreikönigskirche (Church of the Epiphany) The Dreikönigskirche is the oldest Evangelical church in the Neustadt district. The old Gothic parish church also fell victim to the great fire of 1685. Rebuilt on the same site in 1686 by Knöffel Voigt, it had to make way for the redesigning of the whole City quarter just forty years later. In 1739 Pöppelmann, Bähr and Fehre built the Dreikönigskirche in the form in which we are able to admire it on Hauptstrasse today. The 87.5-metre high West Tower was not added until 1854/57. The church was burned out completely in 1945. Between 1984 and 1990 is was reconstructed as a "House of the Church", though maintaining the outer appearance of the original church. From 1990 to 1992 it was temporary home for sittings of the Saxon Parliament. A point of special interest is the restored altar of sculptor Benjamin Thomae.
Address: Openings= Tel:
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