Early summer morning in Dresden was a fine rain. Almost autumn. Surprisingly, it is not crowded at Theater square, where traditionally starts exploring the city. Strange Dresden. On the one hand, admire its Gothic architecture and exquisite beauty of all kinds of moldings. On the other…dark walls, rather dark brown with leopard patches. This is because a building material Sandstone has the ability to greatly darken over time and not subject to any coating, staining,bleaching.
It is called the “Florence on the Elbe”.
First we must recall the history of this city. Dresden was founded in 1206. Around the XV century the capital of Saxony was transferred from the city of Mezen to Dresden. Thus began the age of the flowering of Dresden that reached their peak during the reign Augusta. Business card of the city – mezenski porcelain.This is the first porcelain produced in Europe.
August II was a great lover of art and beautiful women. The first turned into a grandiose Dresden art gallery, the art gallery, the porcelain pavilion and the Armory gallery. And the second numerous illegitimate children.He had 365 illegitimate children. However, the crown from the hands of the elector, and at the same time parent and a hunger for art, took over born during the marriage, the heir to Friedrich August(the Strong ).
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He was a strong man, what can I say.
By the way, with Peter Augustus the Strong met and talked, when it was in his political interests.
This monarch-the smoothie had a lot of favorites. The most famous is Countess Anna Constantia Kozel, one of the most beautiful and gifted socialite, the second Madame de Pompadour of the eighteenth century.
Lady Montague told me that when Augustus the Strong first came to Ms. von Goym (Anne Constance ) , in one hand he had a horseshoe which he broke with her and another bag with a fantastic for those times the sum — a hundred thousand thalers. So did the kings of reciprocity:)).
“Surrender” August was adopted on 12 December 1705, and precious for Anna a document drawn up on this occasion, was deposited in the family archives of one of my relatives. It said the following:
“We are from a good enough and special considerations, for example the kings of France and Denmark, and other European rulers to recognize her (the Baroness) our lawful wife and promise to help her in all possible ways, and heartily to love her and stay faithful to her…”was all spelled out on paper.
Dresden.
But as expected , General count Flemming, a sworn enemy of Anna, the king found a new mistress, a charming Polish Countess Maria Magdalene von dengof. On external data and mind she was far from Anna, but nevertheless, Maria quickly supplanted the Countess from heart Aug.
On hearing this, Anna had promised to shoot himself in the head in August. She shot perfectly, and the king was afraid. He was in every way to avoid former mistress and demanded the return of a written obligation to marry her. Anna firmly refused.
A receipt was not returned. Its boxes, papers and valuables confiscated and sealed, went through her chests, turned over the clothes in search of what no one was to find. Receipt of a wrong king (apparently deposited faithful person) as if vanished into thin air!The yard but she still had to leave.And was imprisoned for life in the castle. The tower Stolpen, in which about fifty years languishing woman, powerisa the promise of the king…Men can not be trusted,and the kings especially.
In 1727, after eleven years of detention, she saw the king out of the window . He came to attend the shooting. The Countess called to him, but he only slightly lifted his hat and rode away, without saying a word.As old as the world: the minion is temporary and dangerous.
Since Augustus the Strong was king of Poland, his body is buried in Krakow. But he loved the Dresden that he wanted to be in it leave your heart. It’s still here — in a special capsule in the court of the Catholic Church. In Dresden there is even such a joke: when beautiful women walk past the Cathedral, the heart crowned Lovelace instantly comes to life, begins to tremble and throb…
The Golden Rider.The symbol of the city.The sculpture of Frederick Strong,which is depicted in Roman guise.
Covered with gold amalgam.
A tragic end to the city crept up unexpectedly.All that was in Dresden’s historic “broke” the British and Americans in 1945. Some call this episode “the biggest murder in the Second World war.”
Memorandum RAF (Royal Air Force) February 13, 1945.:
Dresden, the 7th largest city in Germany… at the moment, the largest area of the enemy still were not bombing…. At the time, widely known for its production of porcelain, Dresden has developed into a major industrial centre… the Aim of the attack is to strike the enemy where he will feel it most, behind partially collapsed front… and at the same time show the Russian when they arrive in the city, what can the Royal air force.
On 13 February in Dresden flew 796 Lancaster, and February 14, 1350 bombers. Each of the “babies” could carry from 4 to 9 tons of bombs. A total of 1477 tons of dropped high-explosive bombs and incendiary 1181. Dresden, this beauty that belongs to all humanity ,lay in ruins…..
14 February 1945, Dresden was destroyed. In the city there was not a single building. Killed more than 200 thousand people.Burned and melted the stones. The war does its dirty work without regard to anything or anyone else.
In the 90s of the 20th century, it was decided to restore the historical center of the city – before this time he just lay in ruins, as a monument to human cruelty.A large part of the contribution to the restoration made in West Germany.
Theatre square
Opera, Zwinger, Court Church…
Procession of princes
Stable yard
The Church of our lady, Frauenkirche
Brylowska terrace
The Central square of Dresden surrounded on all sides by all sorts of beautiful and fanciful architectural buildings: the theatre, in which a long queue, art gallery, the only one in Saxony, the Catholic Church Frau Kirche (Church of our lady).
A little further from the Central square is spotted like a leopard’s Lutheran Church. The Church itself was destroyed during the bombing almost to the ground – only one wall survived. During the restoration of the historic part of the city, the Germans possible, used the old, darker stones. And because the whole Church only one wall survived – the Church and acquired a mottled coloring. On a lighter backdrop of the ancient dark stones stood out very clearly.
Heart of Dresden – the Zwinger Palace . This masterpiece of architecture in the Baroque style originated in 1710-1732. this building accommodates several museums. The most important of them is the gallery of Old Masters in the Alte Meisier, known under the name of the Dresden Gallery. In addition to paintings by Rubens and Titian, in the gallery preserve masterpieces by Tintoretto, Veronese, Rembrandt, Vermeer and Hals. For the “Sistine Madonna” by Raphael is given a whole wall.
Zwinger – Palace complex, which is a large rectangular Esplanade (closed ) forms, in which there are pavilions, galleries, gardens, and heroic statues.
At theater square is the court Church Kathedrale, elevated to the rank of Cathedral of the bishopric of Dresden – meißen: Cathedral of the Holy Trinity.
Next to it are the buildings of the residence Castle Residenz-Schloss, which is also called the Green vault Grimes Gewolbe. The castle was founded in the XIV century and acquired its final appearance in the XVIII century, its architecture resembles a Greek temple.
On the square Neuer Markt is the most famous of the aforementioned Church of Dresden Frauenkirche. It was built in 1726-1743 gg. by the architect George Baer. After the war its ruins more than 40 years, reminded the inhabitants and tourists about the horror of those times. It was restored mainly through donations, the restoration lasted more than 10 years and ended in 2005 On the occasion of its opening in the city were organized festive events.
Our amazing guide – Herald, Jan. German. Smiling, young, cheerful ,tactful ,with a slight accent, but good at speaking Russian. He led us through the most beautiful places along the way, telling all kinds of stories, and genuinely smiled happily when he was able to Express the idea in English,not without pauses. So, we climbed to the Balcony of Europe”, with panoramic views of the city and the Elbe.
Somewhat surprised by some of the conversations the attitude of the Germans to the Second world war and the guilt that they feel for her. Gerald said that when he was in school, in history books it was written that the ruins of the Frauenkirche will be an eternal reminder to Germans about how terrible was this war and that they, the Germans started it. And he added that he considers the version described in the textbook is correct.
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Cathedral of Dresden – an active Catholic Church, built in 1697-1754 years corpuscle Saxon Frederick Augustus I and Augustus II.Stands out among the urban sprawl of its 85-metre high bell tower. Outside it is decorated with balustrades and 78 statues in niches. Here is one of the best organs in the world the wizard of Silbermann. Cathedral of Dresden is the Palace Church, therefore, performs the functions of the Royal tombs. In one of its chapels buried 49 of the Saxon monarchs, as well as the heart of the most famous of the Saxon kings Augustus the Strong, whose body is buried in Krakow.
The Frauenkirche.
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In the centre the statue of king Johann, compassionate and educated, who dreamed of a unified German state.
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The residence of the Saxon rulers of the Wettin dynasty. Along the shallow waters in this area of the river Elbe stretches the brühl terrace, which some of the courtiers of wits “dubbed” the “balcony of Europe”. This name remained behind it today.
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The building of the Opera house.
Named in honor of him who built the architect Gottfried Semper. Built in the Italian Renaissance style with Baroque elements. Outside it is decorated with statues of Sophocles, Euripides, Shakespeare and molière.
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Statue of king Johann, who was, moreover, a talented writer and translated into German “the divine Comedy” Dante.
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On the area of the Zwinger.
Bath of the nymphs.
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Crown gate – bunk arch. The copper roof of the tower is crowned with four eagles supporting the Polish crown. Sculpted figures symbolizing the seasons.
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Place in the courtyard of the Royal residence, where he held many jousting tournaments.Oh-La-La..Women that men are not distracted by their beauty, could attend these events only upstairs unseen behind the curtain, and to seem could then, when they passed the honoring of the winner.
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Visible gallery connecting the Palace with the residence of the king.20
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Mural “Procession of princes” – a huge mosaic, wall-to-wall (100 m ) made of Meissen porcelain.It really captures the whole story of Germany in the historical individuals maintaining historical costumes and regalia. Electors, Dukes, princes, kings, counts, electors, burggraf, emperors… the Names don’t immediately remember. But nicknames the people to their rulers always chooses precise: the Great, Proud, Pious, Wise, Brave, Good, Fair or, at the very least, Bitten.
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“Green vault” – the former is the ancestral treasure of the princes of Wettin, turned into a Museum. The collection of jewelry began to take shape in the sixteenth century, but the most valuable items appeared in the collection in the eighteenth century.
In the New Green vaults, there are about 8 thousand items. In the Museum of jewelry, works of art, precious tableware, cameos and miniatures. Here you can see some of the largest diamonds in the world: the Dresden green and the Saxon white diamond weighing 41 carats and 48. The cost of some of the exhibits are comparable to the cost of the Palace. Among them the Golden coffee service, decorated with diamonds 5600, Aug 240 Obelisk decorated with precious cameos, and others.
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Suddenly above the Zwinger flew leaden clouds.The wind. I had the time to hide in some room on the terrace. Heard was a mixed language of the peoples of Europe and not only.All took refuge from the inclement weather. The rain was heavy, steep wall.A gust knocked over the chairs in the cafe on the terrace. The sound from the mixing of many languages, looking at this inexplicable rain knew that he was here as well and a hundred, two hundred ,three hundred years ago. The time forever.
But it ended and it was possible to continue the excursion into the past.
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The Frauenkirche. Body.
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Stagecoach ready for sightseeing..
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Children of the eternal decoration of all cities, capitals, continents.
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A frequenter of cafes.Frau in any weather takes its lawful place and contemplate the audience.
In front of her huge piece of cake, to which she never touched for decades. She watches what is happening.It’s funny…”.And somehow in lilac precisely “( This is about the color of suit )
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View of the Elbe.
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Classic picture, symbolizing the home and the everyday life of German families.
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History is our past. Graceful and beautiful things-present.As without it-this beauty of porcelain ?Meissen ?
According to legend, the Saxon elector Augustus the Strong was invited to the castle Albrechtsburg in Meissen is known to the chemist-alchemist Friedrich Böttger and ordered him to invent gold. The scientist closed in the laboratory and undertook research. But the weeks went by, months, and from the alchemist, there was no hearing, nor spirit. Finally it turned out that instead of gold pharmacist invented… porcelain. Since then, throughout Germany there was a porcelain manufactory and porcelain became known as Saxon.
PS is Clear, is that we need to see in person. ( by personal experience).No photo can not convey the real picture in three-dimensional space.Can’t convey the spirit and true beauty, unusual ornate yellow-brown stone. 
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