Fact sheet

Dresden
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Facts
507,000
ca.30,000
13,400
328 km²
1,439
1206
51°
13° 44'

Comments
15th largest city in Germany
6 percent of the population
2.6 percent of the population
4th largest in Germany
Tokyo: 14,000
celebration of its 800th anniversary in 2006
along a line with Calgary, Bath, Cologne, Kiev
along a line with Berlin, Prague, Rome, Tripolis

location

The thriving capital of the German federal state of Saxony competes with Leipzig for the position of the most important city in eastern Germany apart from Berlin. It is beautifully situated in a broad valley of the Elbe river, stretching 30 kilometres along its banks. Midway between Berlin to the north and Prague to the south (each two hours away by train) and not far away from the Polish border either, Dresden is fortunate to serve as a hub for the entire area of south-eastern Germany, the Czech Republic and Poland.

As Europe continues to grow closer together and with the prospect of many Eastern European countries joining the EU in the near future, Dresden is becoming increasingly important as a political and economic gateway to these countries.

Dresden today

Since the reunification of Germany in 1990, Dresden has been buzzing with activity. While this still goes on, Dresden's former glory has also been reestablished. Nowadays, the people of Dresden are looking forward rather than backward, intent it would seem on turning the legacy of the communist era into a faint memory. The whole cityscape has undergone tremendous change in recent years, most strikingly so with the construction of new architectural landmarks, signifying a profound process of rebuilding the city.

However, it has always been a major concern to preserve the traditional architecture of "Old Dresden" and weave new buildings fittingly into given structures. To mention but a few, visit the outstanding cinema UFA Kristallpalast and judge for yourself. How successful do you consider the integration of the old and the new in this bold attempt to ease the eye-sores of the Prager Straße tower blocks? A different approach has been taken with the Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady) which is currently being reconstructed according to the original design of 1743 after having been destroyed in the 1945 air raids. Apart from these large-scale projects, almost everywhere houseowners have started to refurbish their three or four storey houses from the 19th or early 20th century to provide elegant and modern accomodation.
Alongside this architectural transformation, there has obviously been a massive influx of money and many companies have estasblished branches in Dresden, such as AMD, Volkswagen (VW) or Infineon. As most jobs have been created in the technology and electronics sector, some people have already labelled Dresden "Saxony´s Silicon Valley". As a result of this heavy investment, unemployment rates are relatively low in the region.

But in spite of all these success stories and development all over the city, Dresden's heritage of 40 years of socialism remains visible and palpable. Though it is hard to pin down, most locals will agree that Dresden is small and cosy, slow and traditional, and very laid back with an air of provincialism about it. It doesn't really matter if these are the after-effects of the GDR or if this is just something unique to Dresdeners - one thing goes without saying: it does make Dresden a very special place.

History and architecture

Dresden is rich in history and it has been the stately home to many Saxon dignitaries throughout the ages. However, it was August der Starke (Augustus the Strong) who is credited with bringing opulence and splendour to the city with such beautiful landmarks as the Zwinger Palace and Dresden Castle. Dresden's Altstadt is a feast of Baroque architecture and attracts many tourists every year.

The Neustadt - district

However, Dresden is not just magnificent architecture. It is also a city of contrasts. This especially can be seen on the other side of the Elbe river in the Neustadt district. Here Dresden nightlife takes on a whole new meaning. This is an unbeat, more cosmopolitan area of Dresden, full of pubs, bars and a wide range of world cuisine. It is the artists' quarter and here you will find small art galleries, theatre groups and brightly painted walls and courtyards, testimony to the vibrant street culture. You will find most of the recommendations for this district in the culture and nightlife section.