Dresden - baroque and unconventional

Dresden: lunch on the Elbe

Preconceived ideas are hard to get rid of and we are apt to imagine German cuisine exuding heavy medieval aromas of pork, sausages and sauerkraut... Dresden, on the eastern borders of the country, certainly doesn't look like the place to change this opinion. Well, open your eyes! Typical Saxon restaurants, trendy places and top-notch gastronomy - things have changed in the east!

2006 is a good year for Dresden, which is celebrating the 800th anniversary of its foundation and the renaissance of the Frauenkirche. This occasion has given rise to an anthology of sayings - "the Florence of the Elbe", Germany's "baroque gem" - at the risk of freezing the capital of Saxony in its pre-13th February 1945 past, as the reconstruction of its historic centre might lead one to believe. But what if we used the baroque issue as a vital clue to understand the modernity of the Dresden of today?

See map of Dresden

We know that by extension, "baroque" means "strange" or "bizarre". Etymologically, the Portuguese word barroco designated something irregular, or even "divergent"... Perhaps one would say "unconventional" today. Rather than making an exhaustive inventory of the numerous architectural and artistic treasures of Dresden [see our tourism pages], it seemed sensible to note down what a visitor might find surprising as we strolled around the city.

The Church of Our Lady
© E. Boucher / ViaMichelin

The black city in search of its memory

The symbol of Dresden's renaissance is, of course, the Frauenkirche (the Church of Our Lady), inaugurated on 30th October 2005 in the presence of Gerhard Schröder, Angela Merkel and the President of the Republic, Horst Köhler, in front of nearly 100,000 people. On taking a closer look, this event reveals in many respects the distinctive identity of Dresden. On this occasion, Horst Köhler emphasised the following paradox: "Did eastern Germany not need roads, roofs and factories more than an expensive church? But a group of residents said Dresden needed more. And now we can see that those people were right." Although it is true that the building cost 130 million euros* in a region in the middle of an economic slump, it created a tremendous amount of interest, with some 600,000 private individuals, companies and institutions sending donations up to 100 million. Which only goes to show that people also cherish symbols... And the resurrected Frauenkirche alone has already attracted more visitors than the prestigious Dresden Music Festival.

This reconstruction project does not just concern an emblematic monument, it targets the entire historic centre of Dresden, an undertaking that would seem inconceivable everywhere else in Europe. Unlike in Berlin, as soon as the war ended, the decision had been taken to rebuild Dresden exactly the way it was, but owing to lack of money and through ideology, the former GDR had been unable to implement this project. For over 45 years, until the fall of the Berlin wall, the centre of Dresden thus remained in a state of ruin. The reconstruction from this pile of rubble was only made possible thanks to highly sophisticated computer logistics: 44% of the Frauenkirche's original stones were thus returned to their place. The church now offers a contrasting silhouette of beautiful cream coloured stones and dark or chequered areas. Not that the old black stones were burnt by the incendiary bombs or soiled by pollution: Saxon sandstone, with a high iron content, has the characteristic of turning black with time. Hence the dark and eerie aspect of most of the city's monuments, from the Zwinger to the cathedral.

While the Frauenkirche will gradually become dark, the Kulturpalast (Palace of Culture) of the former East Germany has curiously returned to its gleaming white former glory. Here again, the contrast is surprising with Berlin, which seems to have wanted to break with its past and project itself into the future by demolishing this icon of the communist era, the Palace of the Republic. Dresden city council chose to keep this witness of the past, a stone's throw from the Frauenkirche, although it is of no great architectural interest: it proudly houses a revolutionary fresco with all its raised fists, sickles and red stars. In an irony of history, a webcam has been installed on the roof of the palace, which is following the evolution of the district's reconstruction in the aristocratic baroque style.

The Castle
© Christoph Münch / Dresden-Werbung und Tourismus GmbH

Baroque and high-technology

Dresden's other great media event takes place in September 2006, with the inauguration of the Grünes Gewolbe (Green Vault), the treasure chamber of the Renaissance residential castle (1530). Like 75% of the city, the castle was destroyed by English bombs in the night of 13th to 14th February 1945. The part that was restored in the 1960s has already acquired a patina and is almost black, while the renovation continues, notably in the inner courtyard covered with sgraffito decorations in Italian Renaissance style. Although the exterior façades of the castle are an old-style reconstruction, the rooms inside that will house the art collections of the royal treasure are, on the other hand, of resolutely contemporary design. The only exceptions being the ground floor rooms, including the famous Grünes Gewolbe, which will be restored to how they were in 1723, when Augustus the Strong had them fitted out to receive his finest treasures.

As in the case of the Frauenkirche, one might be dubious on hearing the cost of the works: 337 million euros, 41.6 million of them for the Grünes Gewolbe alone. But here again, the Land of Saxony seems to come out smelling of roses, since 92% of the contracts went to regional companies on account of the quality of the local restorers, craftsmen and sculptors who even sometimes managed to revive old techniques.

But how did the treasure escape destruction? It had been evacuated before the bombing. Transferred to the Soviet Union in 1945, it was returned to Dresden in 1958. Given the delicacy and value of these objects, it is something of a miracle. Judge for yourself! Among the key works, priceless pieces of gold work such as a gold coffee service set with precious stones, and a set of 137 gold figurines supposed to represent the "Court of Delhi" and decorated with over 5,000 diamonds, rubies, emeralds and pearls... The treasure was also something of a "curiosity shop", as witnessed by a cherry stone which, when you look at it through a magnifying glass, reveals 185 carved faces.

Whether it be works by the jeweller and goldsmith Dinglinger or this 18th century cherry stone - a forerunner of our nanotechnologies - these objects testify to an extraordinary know-how which has been passed down to today. Indeed, with regard to microelectronics, Siemens has set up the world's most modern microchip factory in Klotzsche, on the outskirts of Dresden. And one could also mention the establishment of AMD and Motorola. Because once again a highly qualified workforce is to be found here.

And what about the Gläserne Manufaktur (Glass Factory)? Despite its high-tech architecture, is it not baroque to say the least? The Phaeton - Volkswagen's big limousine - is assembled here in an incredibly luxurious setting. Being more of a "workshop" than a "factory", it is located in the middle of the city and the Phaeton is assembled here by hand, by white-gloved technicians who move around like dancers on waxed parquet floors. Here there is no dust, noise or dirty grease, but 75,000 m² of pure design, a gourmet restaurant, the Lesage [see our gastronomy article], a bar and a forum for cultural events and concerts.

Neustadt: the real hub!

If the Alstadt (old town) is a theatre set inhabited by tourists, real life has taken refuge in the Neustadt (new town) on the other bank of the Elbe. The name is misleading since this "new town", largely spared by the bombings of 1945, has retained its districts dating from the foundation of the German Empire after 1870. A habitat that fell into disrepair under communism and which sometimes coexists with constructions and council housing from the same era, but which is being gradually restored and occupied by a trendy young population. This makes it a centre for nightlife, with numerous bars and nightclubs where you can rub shoulders with fine specimens of alternative culture. Young people brimming with enthusiasm and initiative, like the members of the Kultur Aktiv movement who organise exhibitions and concerts in partnership with many artists from the Eastern bloc countries. Be it musicians from the independent Georgian scene, Polish jazzmen or Armenian liturgy choirs, Kultur Aktiv brings together talents that are eclectic to say the least, but often of excellent quality.

Neustadt also boasts numerous restaurants, designer boutiques, art galleries and charming alleys like the Kunsthof with its wacky façades in the style of the creations of Austrian artist Hundertwasser... In short, this is the place to go out in the evening!

* 1 euro is worth approximately GBP 0.68

Practical information

Dresden tourist office: www.dresden.de