Dresden Castle, Dresden, Germany

Dresdner Residenzschloss is one of the oldest buildings in Dresden, Germany. For almost 400 years, it was the residence of the electors (1547–1806) and kings (1806–1918) of Saxony of the Albertine line of the House of Wettin. It is known for the different architectural styles employed, from Baroque to Neo-renaissance.

The original castle was a Romanesque keep, built around 1200. The Hausmannsturm was built at the beginning of the 15th century. From 1468 until 1480, the keep was extended by the master builder, Arnold von Westfalen, becoming an enclosed four-wing construction. In the middle of the 16th century, an addition was added in the Renaissance style.

After a major fire in 1701, Augustus II the Strong rebuilt much of the castle in the Baroque style. The collection rooms were created at this time in the western wing. The Silver Room, Heraldic Room and the Pretiosensaal were built from 1723–1726 and the Kaminzimmer, Juwelenzimmer (Jewel Room), Ivory Room and Bronze Room were built from 1727–1729.

The 800th anniversary of the House of Wettin, Saxony's ruling family, resulted in more rebuilding between 1889 and 1901. A Neo-renaissance renovation was undertaken, followed by various modernizations, such as in-floor heating and electric lights in 1914. On the outside of the Stallhof (Stall Courtyard), which links the castle complex with the adjacent Johanneum, the 'Procession of Princes' was painted by the artist Wilhelm Walther. The 102-meter-long mural represents the history of the Wettins. Since it quickly faded, it was transferred to about 23,000 Meissen porcelain tiles between 1904 and 1907.

Most of the castle was reduced to a roofless shell during the February 13, 1945 bombing of Dresden in World War II. Three rooms of the Green Vault were destroyed. However, the collections survived, having been moved to safety at Königstein Fortress in the early years of the war.

For the first 15 years after the end of the Second World War, no attempt was made to rebuild the castle, except to install a temporary roof in 1946. Restoration began in the 1960s with the installation of new windows and has occurred rapidly since then. The castle's restoration was completed in 2013.

Museums

Dresden castle houses five museums, the Historic Green Vault and the New Green Vault, the Numismatic Cabinet, the Collection of Prints, Drawings and Photographs and the Dresden Armory with the Turkish Chamber.

Also accessible is an art library (Kunstbibliothek) with approximately 260,000 volumes of special literature on art history. The character of the holdings is closely related to the collecting focal points of the museums.

The Gallery of the Electors and the Hausmannsturm, once Dresden's largest tower, can be visited as well.

References:

Wikipedia

User Reviews

Aimar Jaakson (2 years ago)
First very big museum. Second, when you planning visit the museum watch opening times - monday is museum open on tuesday is closed. There is so much to see and watch, it all depends what you want to see. 3-4 hours is neccessary. Green vault is with guides other sections of museum you can visit you own. I liked sgraffito technique courtyard,m als you can climb to the tower and watch over the Dresden Oldtown. A lot wepons, clothes, monetary and so on. Information service works great, i was not a clue how much i can visit, they made suggestions and i was able visit a lot... ok not all sections of museum but enough. One must do in Dresden

Richard Nelson (2 years ago)
Enjoyed my visit, you could legit spend all day looking at the exhibits!! Two thumbs up and worth the stop!!

曾信傑 (2 years ago)
Very nice place to visit. You can imagine the Royal's life in the good old day. Many treasures are well kept and exhibited to the public. One afternoon in the royal palace is probabley not enough.

Kamil Brzakala (2 years ago)
A beautiful castle with a few interesting museums inside (especially the treasury and armory). The courtyard is just amazing, sadly the building is still being renovated at the time of writing. On the other hand considering it was nearly destroyed in WWII it's good it's there at all

Ted Oatway (2 years ago)
A truly beautiful museum that must be seen. Excellently designed and curated with non-reflective museum glass, expert lighting and thoughtful placement ensures a wonderful visit. Many visitors may take aspects of this museum for granted but I say a high bar of professionalism is evident. The enjoyment of the subject material is further enhanced by the overall design of this museum and the patient, helpful and understanding staff. A breath of fresh air in the world of museums that is certainly appreciated by this visitor.

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