Dresden residence. Magic castle near Dresden. Georgievsky gate and the palace above them

The Dresden castle-residence is one of the key attractions of this German city. Initially, it was the base of the electors - princes during the time of the Holy Roman Empire, later kings. This is the oldest building in Dresden that has survived to this day.

First mention

For the first time in historical sources, the Dresden castle-residence is mentioned in 1289. Moreover, the castle itself was supposed to appear much earlier, according to some sources, back in 1206, when a congress of the Saxon nobility took place in Dresden.

By the end of the 13th century, it had already been built across the Elbe. Historians suggest that it was a Romanesque building. Subsequently, his appearance has changed significantly. By the 15th century, the castle was rebuilt in the Italian style, popular at that time in Germany.

Renaissance reconstruction

In the years 1530-1558, the Dresden castle-residence underwent a significant reconstruction. It was started by Duke George the Bearded. The stone gates that were on the bridge over the Elbe are being rebuilt. They acquire a majestic appearance and the name "St. George's Gate".

This reconstruction was completed by Elector Moritz of Saxony, who wished to expand the castle. For this, the western wing had to be sacrificed, and the building that grew in its place was named Moritzbau. On the first floor, a special room was equipped, equipped with blank walls, which served as a treasury.

As a result of the reconstruction, the area of ​​the courtyard has been significantly increased. Now the Dresden castle-residence has become a suitable place for holding jousting tournaments.

The next restructuring took place at the beginning of the 18th century. Its initiator was the Elector of Saxony August the Strong. In 1701 Dresden Castle was badly damaged by fire. Society was inclined to restore the lost buildings in the then fashionable Baroque style, but they did not change the Renaissance.

The current state of the castle

At the turn of the XIX-XX centuries, a large-scale restoration of the castle was completed. Mostly the south sides were rebuilt. So, another building with a covered passage appeared here, leading to the Taschenberg Palace. It is made in neo-baroque style. Thus, the palace, where the royal family lived, received a direct connection with the castle. The gallery was subsequently called "the long passage".

It was by 1901 that the type of castle that we can observe today was formed.

How to get to attractions in Dresden?

Today, one of the most popular tourist sites for travelers who come to Germany is the Dresden Castle-Residence. The address where the attraction is located: Tashenberg, 2.

Today there is something to see. In addition to the unique medieval architecture that has survived to this day, there are also several museums located on the castle grounds.

The most favorite among tourists is "Green Vaults". Its main value is a huge pear-shaped diamond of emerald color. Its weight is 41 carats, or more than 8 grams in the usual system of measures. One of the owners of the castle - the Saxon elector August III - bought it for money comparable to the amount that went to build the cathedral in Dresden. At least there is such a legend.

About 10 years ago, royal treasures were also exhibited here, which had previously been carefully hidden from prying eyes. The Dresden castle-residence can surprise guests with all this. Where is this unique attraction, we have already told. To quickly get to it by public transport, you should use the tram. There are a lot of routes that follow in that direction: No. 1, 4, 8, 9, 11, 12. You should get off at the stop "Postova Square" or "Teatralnaya Square".

The main values ​​of Dresden Castle

Most tourists tend to Dresden to look not only at the famous castle, but also at the unique values ​​​​that are stored in it. It's not just diamonds and treasures.

Its main attractions are the Watchtower, as well as the Taschenberg Palace and the court chapel. Unique medieval interiors have been preserved here, for example, the Numismatic Cabinet, which was used by the Saxon Electors.

Separately, it is worth mentioning the collection of treasures. She is the richest in Europe. The Engraving Cabinet and the Art Library, restored only in 2004, require special attention. By 2006, architects-restorers completed the reconstruction of the Gallery of Princes, the English Stairs and the Turkish Chamber according to old drawings.

Tourist impressions

Tourists note the cleanliness and order prevailing on the German streets, and the delightful Gothic style of the palace, which is simply mesmerizing. Many, when they learn the history of the castle, cannot believe that this building had such a difficult fate. Indeed, during the Second World War, it was almost completely destroyed. It took more than a dozen years to restore the castle with maximum historical accuracy. In some parts of it, restoration work continues today.

By the way, the cost of visiting the chambers and the museum of the castle in Dresden is very democratic - it starts from three euros. But for little money here you can see the "Sistine Madonna". This is the most famous exhibit.

A ticket to the castle with an audio guide in Russian costs 12 euros. But for this money, you will independently learn the whole fascinating history of this building, slowly inspect the buildings, towers and outbuildings.

An obligatory point for visiting travelers in Germany is the Dresden castle-residence. Reviews of tourists are only positive. Many people remember the mosaic panel depicting the rulers of Saxony, which is located on one of the streets adjacent to the castle. There you are being prepared for a meeting with their main residence for a whole millennium.

From the observation tower you can enjoy a wonderful view of the whole of Dresden. Just note: Tuesdays are closed here. So don't get in trouble. Everyone else works according to a more familiar schedule - with the only day off on Monday.

The exposition, according to tourists, is large and interesting. Therefore, not everyone has time to visit even part of the halls (for example, at least those that are included in a ticket for 10 euros) in one day. And they want to come back here again and again.

Dresden Castle-Residence (German: Dresdner Residenzschloss) is the former residence of the Saxon electors (1464-1485, 1547-1806) and kings (1806-1918). It is one of the oldest buildings in Dresden, in the architecture of which styles can be traced from Romanesque to eclecticism. The first mention of the presence of a fortification in Dresden dates back to 1289. In the future, the castle was rebuilt many times, it acquired its modern look in 1901, when the last major reconstruction was carried out under the guidance of architects Gustav Dunger and Gustav Froelich. The castle is located in the "Old Town" (German: Altstadt), the historical center of Dresden. Currently, the castle houses: "Grunes Gewolbe", "Noes Grune Gewolbe", "Museum of Coins and Awards" (German Münzkabinett), "Museum of Engravings" (German Kupferstich-Kabinett), In addition, various thematic exhibitions are held, on which exhibit works of art from both old and modern masters.
Scientists agree that the fortification in Dresden, on the site of the current castle, should have existed by the end of the 12th century. This is indicated both by the wooden bridge over the Elbe, which was in the immediate vicinity at that time, and by the fact that it was in Dresden in 1206 that a large “meeting” of the Saxon nobility headed by Margrave Dietrich of Meissen took place. The first written mention of the existence of a fortress in Dresden dates back to 1289. "Castrum" was located by this time already at the stone bridge over the Elbe. No drawings or drawings of that time have been preserved, and scientists suggest that it was originally a Romanesque fortress. The courtyard of the fortress measured approximately 35 by 40 meters, on the site of the modern "Watchtower" ((German Hausmannsturm), now located in the middle of the northern wing of the castle, at that time the northwestern corner tower of a relatively small medieval fortress was located. part of the tower up to the height of the consoles, which has not been subjected to either destruction or reconstruction for centuries, has been preserved at least from the middle of the 15th century, and possibly from the end of the 12th century. , ending with an almost flat roof.As a result of the reconstruction of the XV century, the Desden fortress takes the form of a four-sided three-story castle of the Italian "sample", widespread in the Late Middle Ages.
Renaissance castle
Further reconstruction of the castle was actively carried out in 1530-58. under Duke George the Bearded and his nephew, Elector Moritz of Saxony. Under George, the “Elbe Gates” of the city fortifications, which were practically on the bridge over the Elbe, are rebuilt and, having acquired a majestic appearance, go down in history as the “St. George’s Gate”. Moritz, under whom it becomes the residence of the Saxon Electors, in 1548 entrusts the architects Hans von Den Rothfelsen and Bastian and Hans Kramer with the rebuilding of the castle in the Renaissance style. To expand the castle, the western wing was demolished, and a new building, now called Moritzbau (German: Moritzbau), was erected in 1558 even further trap. In addition, it was necessary to complete the construction of the southern and northern vanes in order to have a closed courtyard. On the first floor of the western flugel was located the "secret vault", which later became the famous museum "Grunes Gewolbe". Initially, the “vault”, protected by meter walls, served simply for storing treasures,
money and valuable documents of the elector. In the courtyard of the castle, which almost doubled in size, and according to Moritz's plans, it was supposed to serve for holding jousting tournaments, three corner towers were built on the model of the French castle of Chambord (castle) (fr. château de Chambord). The walls were decorated with sgraffiti paintings (Italian graffito). The Watchtower, which was a corner tower before the reconstruction, was now in the middle of the northern wing of the castle. The part of the vane to the east of the tower, which was not touched by the reconstruction, from that time became known as Altes Haus (old house), in the newly built part, to the west of the tower, a court chapel was equipped, in 1558 the entrance from the courtyard to the chapel was decorated with golden gates. In 1590-94. on the south side, another building was completed, thus the castle received another courtyard. The next big wave of castle reconstructions took place at the end of the 17th and beginning of the 18th century. In 1674-76. The Watchtower received a baroque roof with a spire, the total height of the tower is now 101 meters, until 1945 the tower was the tallest building in Dresden. Since 1693, the castle, which had only one gate located from the south, receives another “Green Gate” from the north, located exactly under the watchtower. During the reign of Augustus the Strong in 1701, a big fire broke out in the castle, as a result of which the eastern vane and the St. George's Gate burned down. Despite the fact that most of the buildings in Dresden were erected at that time in the Baroque style, the restoration of the castle was carried out without changing the architectural style.
On the occasion of the 800th anniversary of the Saxon Wettin dynasty, by order of King Albert, in 1889, a new large-scale restoration and reconstruction of the castle and adjacent buildings began. Work under the leadership of Gustav Dunger and Gustav Fröhlich lasted more than 10 years, and by 1901 the castle got its current look. The main changes affected the southern side of the castle, here in 1900 another building was completed with a covered passage, in the Neo-Baroque style, to the Taschenberg Palace (German: Taschenberg). The northern "Elbe side" of the castle was connected by the same passage with the cathedral. Thus, the Taschenberg Palace, where the royal family lived, was connected by internal passages through the castle with the cathedral, and with Johanneum through the Long Pass gallery.

Dresden Castle-Residence (German: Dresdner Residenzschloss) is the former residence of the Saxon electors (1464-1485, 1547-1806) and kings (1806-1918). It is one of the oldest buildings in Dresden, in the architecture of which styles can be traced from Romanesque to eclecticism.

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The southern side of the castle, on the left is the covered passage to the Taschenberg Palace and the eastern wing of the palace itself

The east side of the castle, in the foreground is the archaeological site [

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The first mention of the presence of a fortification in Dresden dates back to 1289. In the future, the castle was rebuilt many times, it acquired its modern look in 1901, when the last major reconstruction was carried out under the guidance of architects Gustav Dunger and Gustav Froelich. The castle is located in the "Old Town" (German: Altstadt), the historical center of Dresden

The northern (Elbe) side of the castle, in the center is the "Watchtower", on the right is the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity. Currently, the castle houses: "Grunes Gewölbe" (Green Vaults), Numismatic Cabinet (German Münzkabinett), Engraving Cabinet (German Kupferstich-Kabinett ), In addition, various thematic exhibitions are held, which exhibit works of art from both old and modern masters.

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Middle Ages

Dresden Castle in the middle of the 15th century, watchtower (Hausmannturm) at the top right Scholars agree that a fortification in Dresden, on the site of the current castle, must have existed by the end of the 12th century. This is indicated both by the wooden bridge over the Elbe, which was in close proximity at that time, and by the fact that it was in Dresden in 1206 that a large “meeting” of the Saxon nobility headed by Margrave Dietrich of Meissen took place.

Ornamental image of trophies on the facade of the southwestern tower of the castle

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The very first written mention of the existence of a fortress in Dresden dates back to 1289. By this time, Castrum was located at the stone bridge over the Elbe. No drawings or drawings of that time have been preserved, and scientists suggest that it was originally a Romanesque fortress.

1550 The courtyard of the fortress measured approximately 35 by 40 meters, on the site of the modern "Watchtower" ((German Hausmannsturm), now located in the middle of the northern wing of the castle, at that time the northwestern corner tower of a relatively small medieval fortress was located.

The inner part of the tower up to the height of the consoles, which has not been destroyed or reconstructed for centuries, has been preserved at least since the middle of the 15th century, and possibly from the end of the 12th century. In the middle of the XV century. the tower was built on, the existing square one was continued by a hexagonal structure, ending in an almost flat roof. As a result of reconstructions of the XV century, the Desden fortress takes the form of a four-sided three-story castle of the Italian "sample", widespread in Germany of the Late Middle Ages.
Renaissance castle

Dresden Castle, west side (Moritzbau) Further reconstruction of the castle was actively carried out in 1530-58. under Duke George the Bearded and his nephew, Elector Moritz of Saxony. Under George, the “Elbe Gates” of the city fortifications, which were practically on the bridge over the Elbe, are rebuilt and, having acquired a majestic appearance, go down in history as the “St. George’s Gate”.

"St. George's Gate", with an equestrian portrait at a height of about 30 meters

Relief on the facade with a 4-meter equestrian sculpture of Duke George the Bearded

Moritz, under which Dresden becomes the residence of the Saxon Electors, in 1548 entrusts the architects Hans von Den Rothfelsen and Bastian and Hans Kramer with the rebuilding of the castle in the Renaissance style.

Sculptural decorations of the arched entrance of the "St. George's Gate" To expand the castle, the western wing was demolished, and a new building, now called Moritzbau (German: Moritzbau), was erected in 1558 even further trap. In addition, it was necessary to complete the construction of the southern and northern vanes in order to have a closed courtyard.

Balcony console with a relief ornament On the first floor of the western wing there was a "secret vault", which later became the famous "Grunes Gewölbe" museum. Initially, the “vault”, protected by meter-long walls, served simply to store treasures, money and valuable documents of the Elector

Renaissance gate with the image of Adam and Eve and a keystone in the form of a skull In the courtyard of the castle, which almost doubled in size, and according to Moritz's plans, it was supposed to serve for jousting tournaments, modeled on the French castle of Chambord (castle) (fr. château de Chambord) three corner towers were built.

The walls were decorated with paintings in the style of sgraffito (Italian graffito). The Watchtower, which was a corner tower before the reconstruction, was now in the middle of the northern wing of the castle. The part of the vane to the east of the tower, which was not touched by the reconstruction, from that time became known as Altes Haus (old house), in the newly built part, to the west of the tower, a court chapel was equipped, in 1558 the entrance from the courtyard to the chapel was decorated with golden gates.

In 1590-94. on the south side, another building was completed, thus the castle received another courtyard. The next big wave of castle reconstructions took place at the end of the 17th and beginning of the 18th century. In 1674-76. The Watchtower received a baroque roof with a spire, the total height of the tower is now 101 meters, until 1945 the tower was the tallest building in Dresden. Since 1693, the castle, which had only one gate located from the south, receives another “Green Gate” from the north, located exactly under the watchtower.

The western side of the castle from the roof of the Zwinger, in the center of the "Watchtower" (height with a spire - 101 meters). Despite the fact that most of the buildings in Dresden were erected at that time in the Baroque style, the restoration of the castle was carried out without changing the architectural style. 20th century

castle model

Castle plan. 2008 On the occasion of the 800th anniversary of the Saxon Wettin dynasty, on the orders of King Albert, in 1889, a new large-scale restoration and reconstruction of the castle and adjacent buildings began. Work under the leadership of Gustav Dunger and Gustav Fröhlich lasted more than 10 years, and by 1901 the castle got its current look.

The main changes affected the southern side of the castle, here in 1900 another building was completed with a covered passage, in the neo-baroque style, to the Taschenberg Palace (German: Taschenberg). The northern "Elbe side" of the castle was connected by the same passage with the cathedral. Thus, the Taschenberg Palace, where the royal family lived, was connected by internal passages through the castle with the cathedral, and with Johanneum through the Long Pass gallery.

Ceiling decor

English Treppe

Furstenzug

Georgentor

"Grunes Gewölbe"

Rustkammer

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The Saxon castle has been home to Saxon imperial princes and kings for centuries. Reliably to this day, they have not been able to find out about the years of the foundation of the palace. The first mention of the castle in Dresden, according to historical chronicles, dates back to 1289. However, historians claim that the fortification stood here at the end of the 12th century. They put forward such assumptions due to the fact that there was a wooden bridge nearby across the Elbe River at that time, the need for which simply would not have been without the presence of such a significant castle in this place. Some time later, another bridge built of stone was “thrown” across the river in 1289.

It is not known for certain what the first building looked like, because no drawings and plans have survived to this day. Thanks to the research of archaeologists and scientists on the foundation and other "early" elements of the fortress, it was possible to find out that the structure was originally a small Romanesque fortress with a courtyard measuring 35x40 meters.

Centuries passed fleetingly, and the Dresden Palace gradually changed its appearance, acquiring newfangled features of architectural trends and losing irrelevant elements of architectural styles.

In the place where the Watchtower is located today, there was one of the square-shaped corner defensive towers, later a hexagonal structure was built on top of it, and some time later it was turned into the northern Watchtower.

Dresden Palace was renovated again in the 15th century. Thanks to the popular trend of the late Middle Ages in Germany in those days, this building became a three-story four-sided castle of the Italian "sample".

The next cardinal changes in the appearance of the fortress took place in the middle of the 16th century. At the same time, the Duke of Saxony George the Bearded rebuilt the Elbe Gate, which was later named after him and became St. George's.

Then came Elector Moritz's turn to rebuild the castle. In 1548, the building finally received the status of an official residence, and Moritz, in order to create a palace befitting this status, invites such famous architects as Hans von Den Rotfelsen, Bastian and Hans Kramer to reconstruct the structure, who chose the Renaissance style for this purpose.

The castle lost its western wing, since it was decided to expand it, but instead it got a southern and northern wing, which completely fenced off the courtyard. In 1558, to the west of the demolished part, the Moritzbau building was erected, on the first floor of which Moritz's "secret vault" was placed with meter-long walls that hid the royal treasures. Subsequently, the vault was converted by our contemporaries into the Green Vaults of Dresden.

The inner courtyard of the castle, thanks to the next changes, has almost doubled. Here, Elector Moritz intended to hold jousting tournaments, for which he ordered the construction of three more internal towers, similar to those built in the French castle of Chambord.

Part of the castle, which is located east of the Watchtower, was not reconstructed and subsequently became known as the Old House. On the western side of the courtyard, another chapel with golden gates was added. A century later, a small building was erected in the southern part of the courtyard, which created another courtyard.

At the end of the 17th century, an absolutely flat roof was demolished near the Watchtower and a high baroque dome with a spire was built on, the height of which began to reach 101 meters.

The Dresden castle-residence in 1693 is equipped with a second entrance gate on the north side under the Watchtower, they are called the Green Gate.

In 1701, the St. George's Gate and the eastern wing burned down due to a strong fire, but the castle was quickly restored, trying as much as possible to leave everything in its original form. In those days, Dresden was rapidly changing, and city buildings were built in the popular Baroque style.

The next changes in the history of the Dresden residence took place in 1889 - it was then that the building began to acquire its new look, which can be seen today. In connection with the 800th anniversary of the Wettin dynasty, King Albert decided to carry out a grandiose restructuring of the castle. To this end, he invited the architects Gustav Dunger and Gustav Froelich, who were instructed to carry out the restoration and complete reconstruction of the Dresden historical landmark.

Thanks to the work of the craftsmen, the Neo-Baroque building of the Taschenberg castle was built on the south side of the castle, which was connected to the Johanneum by the Long Passage gallery. Subsequently, the royal family settled in this small palace. The northern side of the castle was also affected, which was connected by a covered passage with the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity.

This is how the south wing of the palace looks today with a covered passage leading to the east wing and Taschenberg.

Upon completion of all construction work in 1901, the royal residence in Dresden sparkled with new colors - this castle has preserved the splendor acquired over the centuries to this day.

In the current Dresden Palace, the main attractions are the northern Watchtower, the court chapel, the Taschenberg Palace and such unique interiors of the structure as the Engraving and Numismatic Cabinets, the famous collection of jewelry, which is the richest collection in Europe, the Green Vaults Museum and the Pretiosensaal ". By the way, the museum got its name Green Vaults because of the color of the columns, then painted in a malachite-green shade, later they were covered with mirrors.

Plan of the current royal residence in Dresden.

Today, the Dresden Residence, along with the Semperoper, adorns the Theater Square of the Old Town.

Dresden is a world famous city on the Elbe, which is a real treasure trove of sights. It is here, in the capital of Saxony, that the Dresden castle-residence is located - the oldest building, the estimated age of which is nine hundred years. Located in the heart of the picturesque town, it is a favorite destination for tourist routes, which attracts visitors from all over Germany.

The centuries-old history of the palace

According to historical and scientific chronicles, the first reliable written references to the majestic Dresden Castle date back to 1289. However, many historians and scientists make bold assumptions that it was originally a Romanesque fortress built at the end of the 12th century.

The impetus for such reasoning was the study of the early elements of the castle and the foundation, but, unfortunately, no written or artistic evidence of this has survived to our time.

For several centuries in a row, starting from the 13th century, reconstructions were carried out in the building, which changed its original appearance. Already in the XV century, it was transformed into a four-sided three-story castle.

It acquired its proud name of the palace-residence for a reason, being the residence of the electors (in the periods from 1464 to 1485, and from 1547 to 1806) and the kings of Saxony (from 1806 to 1918).

From the 16th to the 20th centuries, waves of numerous large-scale reconstructions are mentioned, while surrounding buildings are erected and buildings adjacent to the palace are being built. The last restoration, which began in 1889, lasted a decade and gave the castle a look that has survived to this day.

What is special about Dresden Castle

The general territory of the castle is an architectural ensemble of many parts-buildings, including the Watchtower, St. George's Gate and the courtyard, surrounded by four sides, each of which has its own characteristics and is connected by a passage with a building close to it. The exterior of the castle is varied. The reason for this was the construction work carried out in different centuries, each of which left its own unique, inimitable imprint.

Despite the many flowers, stucco and mosaics, vaults and domes that vary from Gothic to eclectic styles, the overall appearance of the palace is completely harmonious.

When visiting the palace-museum, it is worth paying attention not only to architecture, but also to the interior decoration.

Within the walls of the Dresden Castle, the Art Library, the Engraving and Numismatic Rooms, the world-famous “Green Vaults” (Grünes Gewölbe), the richest collection of jewels in Europe, the Turkish and Armory chambers operate and receive visitors.

Many museum expositions are located side by side, which allows you to see a significant number of sights in a day and get wonderful, unforgettable impressions from this.

Internal organization of the Dresden castle-residence

As already mentioned, the area occupied by the building is rather large, due to centuries-old additions and reconstructions. Each architectural element of the Dresden Castle has acquired an exceptional style and special distinctive features. It is worth noting the fact that when you find yourself in different parts of the palace, it seems that they all belong to completely different buildings - the difference between architectural styles can be so strong.

Georgievskie Gates and Gate Palace

On the banks of the Elbe, between the Brühl terrace and the church, is the northern side of the palace. The appearance of the castle here is rather gloomy, as the walls are built of sandstone that has darkened over the years.

One of the main attractions of the Dresden Palace-Residence - St. George's Gate - in fact, are arches that are decorated with stucco and carved statues.

Until the middle of the 16th century, the gates were called Elbe, according to their location on the banks of the river of the same name. But in the period between 1530-1558, at the behest of the Saxon duke George the Bearded, cardinal reconstructions were made, and the gates were renamed and from that moment are called St. George's. They were a thoroughly fortified structure, as they were the main entrance to the ducal possessions.

Above the gate there is a palace room of several floors, with narrow rectangular windows. It rises and gradually acquires a triangular shape, crowned with a spire.

The facade is decorated with statues of two knights, between which there is a statue of George the Bearded himself.

After passing through the St. George's Gate, visitors find themselves on the inner street, connected by a passage to the Stables Yard and the treasury. While in the square palace, tourists can visit the Numismatic Cabinet and an exhibition of artistic creations, which were previously the dignity of the royal cabinet of curiosities.

Gausmann tower

From the inner street of the palace, a beautiful view of the exquisite Renaissance tower - the Hausmann tower opens up. Initially, built in the 14th century, it was part of a defensive complex and served as a guard building. In the years 1674-1676, it was supplemented with a top with a spire, while the weather vane is located at a height of just over a hundred meters.

Until the end of World War II, the Hausmann Tower was the tallest building in Dresden.

But the bombing in February 1945 caused significant damage to the building. At that terrible time, elements such as the dome and chimes were destroyed.

The architecture of the Dresden Castle was restored gradually. Only in the early 90s of the last century, the Gausman tower was finally reconstructed and acquired a copper spire, whose height is 30 meters, a clockwork and a figured weather vane.

Moritzbau or modern west side wing

At the end of the 16th - beginning of the 17th century, Elector Moritz decided to expand the territory of the castle. He attracts three architects to complete this task at once: Hans von Den-Rotfelsen, Bastian and Hans Kramer. In connection with the grandiose restructuring, the western wing was destroyed in order to eventually build a new expanded part on the site of the demolished building, which was called the Moritzbau.

In addition, the northern and southern wings were completed in order to form a closed courtyard. According to some historical information, knightly tournaments were planned to be held here.

At the moment, the western wing is crowned by an ensemble of three towers, the main role among them belongs to the Gausmann tower described above. Chambord French castle served as a model for their construction.

In the center of the tower side there is a statue of a lion, above which, decorated with gold, the monogram AR is affixed, which served as a designation of the building belonging to Elector Augustus the Strong.

On the right side of the newly erected western wing there is a covered passage connecting the residence and the Taschenberg Royal Palace. Thus, the residence of the nobility had a connection with the castle and the cathedral in the form of air passages.

Treasury "Green Vaults" and the courtyard under the dome

The first floor of the western wing is distinguished by the special character of the buildings. The main feature is the meter thick, reliable walls erected in order to keep the royal treasures safe. August the Strong and his successor August III had an interesting hobby - collecting precious works of art. Centuries later, the vault was converted into the Green Vaults museum.

The number of exhibits in the museum is significant. Each of them has its own history and great value.

The most famous compositions are “The Courtyard of the Great Mongol in Delhi” and the work of the personal jeweler of Augustus the Strong - Dinglinger.

According to one of the stories, the Russian Emperor Peter I, visiting the treasury of the King of Saxony, spent the whole night in these halls. It was extremely difficult for the sovereign to break away from looking at the exciting and attractive jewels.

The road to the museum goes through the St. George's Gate, the inner street and a special covered courtyard. It is called the Small Courtyard and its peculiarity lies in the glass ceiling. Columns of yellow stone rise to it, which are the ancient part of the building.

The modern glass dome and the load-bearing parts of ancient structures create an extraordinary mixture of styles and eras.

Mosaic wall “Procession of Princes”

The exterior of the castle has another attraction - this is an artistic mosaic "Procession of Princes". It is located on the outer wall of one of the galleries and stretches for 102 meters.

The painting has been located here since 1589, but at that time it was made with lime paints. In 1872, the painter Wilhelm Walther began work on an enlarged and improved painting using the sgraffito technique.

After 30 years, it was decided to transfer the image to ceramic tiles. The panel consists of 25,000 perfectly laid tiles made from local Meissen porcelain. It is the largest such work of art in the world.

The "Procession of Princes", as the name implies, depicts a majestic procession that reflects the thousand-year history of the reign of the Wettin princely house.

The panel contains not only the electors and kings of Saxony, but also images of their retinue: artists, soldiers, scientists, peasants, representatives of universities and gymnasiums.

How to get to the Dresden castle-residence on your own

From almost anywhere in the city you can comfortably get to the historical complex Dresden Castle. It is located at Taschenberg, 2.

You need to go on any of the trams 4, 8 or 9, get off at the Theaterplatz stop. Then walk 100 meters forward along Sophienstraße towards Taschenberg. It is impossible to get lost or lost, as the castle can be seen from afar thanks to the high spiers, which will serve as a wonderful guide.

Visiting excursions

All exhibitions and museums are open all week except Tuesday. On this day the architectural complex is closed. The opening hours of the Treasury Museum “Green Vaults”, the Numismatic Cabinet, the Armory and the Engraving Cabinet are from 10.00 to 18.00.

Ticket price 12 €. The ticket includes access to 9 themed halls.

At the entrance you can get an audio guide in any of the desired foreign languages, including Russian.

Dresden has an extensive system of discounts and advantageous opportunities for visitors to the city. Travelers can purchase a ticket for 30 €, which gives them the opportunity to visit all the museum complexes of Dresden throughout the day without any other surcharges.

Conclusion

The Dresden Castle Residence is an incredible place with a rich history and diverse architecture. Of course, it is one of those places that are worth a visit in Dresden.

The convenient location in the center allows you to enjoy not only this wonderful building, but also the nearby Hofkirche, the Semper Opera House and the Zwinger galleries. Therefore, once in Dresden, you should definitely plan a visit to the magnificent old city center right away.

Palace Residence Dresden Germany: Video