Editor's picks
A local's shortlist — the places worth your time first, each with a tip.
Frauenkirche & the Neumarkt
Landmark · Altstadt
A baroque church that stood as a rubble mound for fifty years and was rebuilt between 1994 and 2005 using thousands of the original stones.
Local tip: The dark blocks scattered through the pale façade are the salvaged originals, catalogued where they fell and returned to their exact positions. The golden orb and cross on top were made in London by a goldsmith whose father flew in the raid that destroyed it. Climb to the dome viewing platform late in the afternoon.
Äußere Neustadt & the Kunsthofpassage
Neighborhood · North of the river
The nineteenth-century quarter that largely survived the firestorm, now the densest concentration of bars, small shops and courtyards in eastern Germany.
Local tip: The Kunsthofpassage is a chain of five themed courtyards you walk through rather than into; one façade is covered in funnels and gutters that play like an instrument when it rains. Go on a wet day, which is the only time it works and the only time it is empty.
Zwinger & the Grünes Gewölbe
Culture · Altstadt
A baroque pleasure palace and the treasure chamber of the Saxon electors, holding one of Europe's great collections of jewels and goldsmithery.
Local tip: The Historisches Grünes Gewölbe admits a limited number of visitors per slot and sells out — book online well ahead. The Zwinger courtyard itself is free and open, and the Old Masters gallery inside holds Raphael's Sistine Madonna, whose two bored cherubs at the bottom are on half the postcards in Germany.
The Elbwiesen and the Elbe cycle path
Nature · Both banks, through the whole city
Wide open meadows along both banks, deliberately left unbuilt so the river has somewhere to go, and a cycle path running the length of the valley.
Local tip: The meadows are the city's living room in summer — barbecues, swimming, the paddle steamers going past. The cycle path runs to the Saxon Switzerland sandstone hills in one direction and Meissen in the other, both easy day rides, and the S-Bahn takes bicycles if you only want to pedal one way.
Alaunstraße and the Neustadt bars
Nightlife · Äußere Neustadt
The spine of Dresden's nightlife — a kilometre of bars, courtyards and late-night kitchens in surviving nineteenth-century blocks.
Local tip: Alaunpark fills on summer evenings with people who brought their own bottles, which is legal and normal. A lot of the smaller bars are cash-only. The Bunte Republik Neustadt street festival in June turns the whole district into one event and residents either love it or leave town for it.
Loschwitz — the Schwebebahn, the funicular and the Blaues Wunder
Hidden gemLandmark · Upstream on the right bank
A suspended monorail from 1901, a funicular from 1895, and an 1893 steel bridge that survived the war unblown.
Local tip: The Schwebebahn is the oldest suspension railway of its kind still running anywhere, and both it and the funicular are scheduled public transport on an ordinary ticket rather than attractions. Ride up, walk the ridge path between the two stations for the whole Elbe bend, and come down the other one.
Explore 131 places across Dresden
Museums, landmarks, monuments, heritage sites and parks — mapped, with photos. The most notable spots first.
Museums & galleries
(38)
MuseumGemäldegalerie Alte Meister
Art gallery in Dresden, Germany
MuseumMoritzburg Castle
Castle in Moritzburg, Saxony, Germany
Museum
MuseumStaatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden
Complex of 15 world famous Museums in Dresden, Germany including the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister, Galerie Neue Meister, and Dresden Castle
Museum
MuseumGalerie Neue Meister
Art museum in Dresden, Germany; part of Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden
MuseumKupferstich-Kabinett Dresden
Collection of prints of the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden
MuseumDresden Porcelain Collection
Museum in Germany
Museum
Museum
MuseumMathematisch-Physikalischer Salon
Museum of historic clocks and scientific instruments
Museum
MuseumDresden Panometer
Attraction in Dresden, Germany
MuseumSemper Gallery
Museumsbuilding in Dresden
MuseumTurkish Chamber
Museum in Germany
MuseumSkulpturensammlung Dresden
Collection of sculptures over 5 millennia
MuseumSchloss Nöthnitz
Château near Dresden, Germany
MuseumMuseum für Sächsische Volkskunst
Museum in Dresden, Germany
MuseumKarl May Museum Radebeul
Museum in Germany
Museum
MuseumKunsthalle Dresden
Museum
MuseumKügelgenhaus – Museum der Dresdner Romantik
Museum in Germany
MuseumVilla Teresa
Museum and centre for chamber music in Coswig, Germany
MuseumDresden City Art Gallery
Museum in Germany
MuseumMuseum für Mineralogie und Geologie Dresden
Museum
MuseumPuppentheatersammlung Dresden
Collection of 18th-20th century theater puppets in Dresden, Germany
MuseumKunsthaus Dresden
Museum in Dresden, Saxony, Germany
MuseumBuchmuseum
Rare book and manuscript exhibition of the Saxon State and University Library Dresden
MuseumConcrete time track
Former open-air museum in Dresden
MuseumDDR-Museum Zeitreise
Museum
MuseumKörnermuseum Dresden
Museum
MuseumLeonhardi-Museum (Dresden, Germany)
Museum in Dresden, Germany
Straßenbahnmuseum Dresden e.V.
Museum.
Heimatstube Großerkmannsdorf
Großerkmannsdorf
Museum in Großerkmannsdorf.
Mühlenmuseum
Museum.
Deutsches Stuhlbaumuseum
Museum.
Landmarks & architecture
(27)
LandmarkZwinger
Palace in Dresden, eastern Germany
Landmark
Landmark
Landmark
Landmark
LandmarkAltmarkt
Square in Dresden
Landmark
Landmark
LandmarkPirnaischer Platz
Public square in Dresden, Germany
LandmarkWiener Platz
Square in Dresden, Germany
LandmarkNeustädter Markt
Square in Dresden, Germany
LandmarkSchillerplatz
Square in Dresden, Germany
LandmarkPalace Brühl-Marcolini
Building in Dresden, Saxony, Germany
LandmarkAlbertplatz
Square in Dresden
LandmarkJüdenhof
Square in Dresden, Saxony, Germany
Landmark
Landmark
LandmarkTharandt Castle
Castle in Germany
LandmarkBurgwartsberg
Mountain in Saxony, Germany
LandmarkLandhausstraße 6
Building in Dresden, Saxony, Germany
LandmarkPalais Brühl
Palace in Dresden owned by Heinrich von Brühl (Augustusstraße)
LandmarkAn der Kreuzkirche
Square in Dresden, Germany
LandmarkPalais Flemming-Sulkowski
Building in Dresden, Saxony, Germany
Landmark
LandmarkZillerplatz
Public square in Radebeul, Germany
LandmarkBlechburg
Landmark in Dresden.
LandmarkEduard-Bilz-Platz
Public square in Radebeul, Germany
Monuments & memorials
(10)
MonumentGolden Rider
Equestrian statue in Dresden
Monument
MonumentGedenkstätte Bautzner Straße Dresden
Memorial in Dresden, Germany
MonumentEhrenmal für die gefallenen Helden der Sowjetarmee
Monument in Dresden, Germany
MonumentSculpture of Gottfried Semper
Monument in Germany
Wettinsäule
Memorial.
Grenzstein
Historic site.
König-Albert-Denkmal
Memorial.
Wegsäule
Historic site.
Kentaur
Public artwork.
Places of worship
(37)
ReligiousChurch of Our Lady
Lutheran church in Dresden, Germany
ReligiousDresden Cathedral
Catholic cathedral in Dresden, Germany
Religious
Religious
ReligiousSophienkirche
Destroyed church building in Dresden, Germany
ReligiousNew Synagogue (Dresden)
Synagogue in Dresden
ReligiousAnne’s Church
Church building in Dresden, Germany
ReligiousDresden Old Zion Church
Evangelical Lutheran church building in Dresden, Saxony, Germany; inaugurated in 1912, destroyed in 1945
ReligiousSt. Luke's Church
Church building in Dresden, Saxony, Germany
ReligiousJohanneskirche
Demolished church building in Dresden, Saxony, Germany
ReligiousLoschwitzer Kirche
Church building in Loschwitz, Germany
Religious
Religious
Religious
ReligiousErlöserkirche (Dresden)
Former church in Dresden
Religious
ReligiousChurch of Reconciliation
Church building in Dresden, Saxony, Germany
ReligiousChristuskirche Strehlen
Church building in Dresden, Saxony, Germany
ReligiousMartin-Luther-Kirche
Church
ReligiousLutheran church, Moritzburg
Church building in Saxony, Germany
ReligiousSynagoge Fiedlerstraße, Dresden
Building in Dresden, Saxony, Germany
Religious
ReligiousHimmelfahrtskirche
Church building in Dresden, Saxony, Germany
ReligiousSt John's Church, Dresden
Church building in Dresden, Saxony, Germany
ReligiousSchottische Kirche
Demolished church building in Dresden, Saxony, Germany
ReligiousEhrlichsche Gestiftskirche
Former church in Dresden, Germany
Religious
ReligiousVineyard Church Pillnitz
Heritage church building in Dresden, Germany
ReligiousAll Saints Church, Dresden
Church building in Dresden, Saxony, Germany
ReligiousOld Church Klotzsche
Protestant church in Dresden-Klotzsche, Saxony, Germany
ReligiousApostle Church
Church building in Dresden, Germany
ReligiousAuferstehungskirche (Dresden)
Church
ReligiousAugustinerkloster Dresden
Former monastery in Dresden, Saxony, Germany
ReligiousBethlehemkirche
Church
ReligiousChristophoruskirche
Church building in Wilschdorf, Dresden, Saxony, Germany
ReligiousChristuskirche Klotzsche
Church
ReligiousLutheran Church of Christ, Deuben
Church building in Freital, Saxony, Germany
Heritage & archaeology
(5)Burg Hohburg
Archaeological site.
Großer Steinbruch (1892 bis 1905) - Steinbrecherwerk
Historic ruins.
Katharinenkapelle/ Klause
Historic ruins.
Bahnbrückenpfeiler
Historic ruins.
Burg Helfenberg
Historic ruins.
Parks & nature
(10)
ParkBrühl's Terrace
Historic architectural ensemble in Dresden, Germany
Park
ParkBotanischer Garten der Technischen Universität Dresden
Botanical garden
ParkForstbotanischer Garten Tharandt
Botanical garden
ParkRosengarten, Dresden
Rose garden
ParkBrühl's Garden
Small park in Dresden
ParkGalopprennbahn Dresden-Seidnitz
Heritage ensemble in Dresden, Germany
ParkBlüherpark
Park in Dresden, Germany
ParkBürgerwiese
Park in Dresden, Germany
ParkDer Herzogin Garten
Park in Dresden, Germany
More to explore
(4)Übigauer Uferkran
Visitor attraction.
Lockwitzer Frosch
Visitor attraction.
Prießnitzwasserfall
Visitor attraction.
Mosaikbrunnen
Visitor attraction.
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