Kulturpalast (cultural palace) of Dresden
Dresden’s cultural palace was reopened after reconstructions as a modern home to arts and knowledge in April 2017. It hosts the Dresden Philharmonic Orchestra, the city’s central library and the cabaret “Die Herkuleskeule”. For the first time, the Dresden Philharmonic Orchestra now herewith has its “own” concert hall.
Kraftwerk Mitte Dresden
Being the new location for culture and creativity, the former power plant Kraftwerk Mitte Dresden opened up its doors in December 2016. Dresden’s State Opera House, once located in Dresden-Altleuben, as well as the tjg "theater young generation" can now be visited in the former power plant. In the air-conditioned auditorium of the State Opera House primarily operettas, musicals und comic operas take place. The tjg. Dresden’s Children and Youth Theatre presents to its young audience diverse shows as e.g. spoken and even dance theatre.
Dresden’s Semper Opera House
The home of the city’s Saxon State Opera is named after its architect, Gottfried Semper, and can look back on a colourful musical history. The first Semper Opera House opened with Carl Maria von Weber’s “Jubel-Ouvertüre” in 1841, and was the venue where the revolutionary Richard Wagner would later earn worldwide fame. Destroyed by fire in 1869, the opera house reopened in 1878 – again with the “Jubel-Ouvertüre”.
The following years saw musical director Ernst Edler von Schuch become a keen admirer of the extravagantly talented Richard Strauss. 1918 saw the Court Theatre renamed the Saxon State Theatre. Destroyed during the Second World War, the opera house reopened once again on the 13th of February 1985 to commemorate the destruction of Dresden, this time with Carl Maria von Weber’s “The Marksman”.
Use your City Tour to Dresden as an opportunity to explore the tradition of the Saxon Staatskapelle orchestra, delight in the opulence of the Semper Opera House and enjoy enchanting views of the Elbe, Cathedral, Royal Palace and Zwinger Palace (a section of which was designed by Gottfried Semper).
Giants’ Hall at the Royal Palace
Since February 2013, visitors to the Royal Palace have been able to admire historic decorative and tournament weapons, suits of armour and dress. A trip to Dresden represents a great opportunity to gain insights into the tournaments of the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries, with foot tournaments and jousts of various types put on during the summer months.
Royal Cabinet of Mathematical and Physical Instruments
From burning mirrors, clocks and automatons to telescopes, astronomical models and globes, Dresden’s Royal Cabinet of Mathematical and Physical Instruments represents a unique symbiosis of science, history and art. A visit to Dresden’s oldest museum is a “must” for any trip to the city. Founded under the patronage of August the Strong in 1728, the museum now features state-of-the-art media stations and animations offering insights into the inner workings of selected objects. Workshop courses and guided tours also include demonstrations of historic experiments. In addition to the wonderful array of exhibits on display, the museum itself and its historical background are well worth exploring.
Panometer Dresden: Experience Dresden as it was in the 17th - 18th century
The Museum of Military History of the German Armed Forces is not just a collection of weapons and accounts of military conflicts, but a forum for the discussion of interactions between war, the military and civilian life. Spread over 10,000 m² of exhibition space, the museum confronts visitors with humans’ potential for aggression, and looks at violence as a historical and cultural phenomenon. Stories are always told within the context of the biographies of two people who lived through the same period, but who took different paths when faced with historically significant situations.
Visit the Museum of Military History for a variety of new perspectives on life in wartime
The Museum of Military History of the German Armed Forces is not just a collection of weapons and accounts of military conflicts, but a forum for the discussion of interactions between war, the military and civilian life. Spread over 10,000 m² of exhibition space, the museum confronts visitors with humans’ potential for aggression, and looks at violence as a historical and cultural phenomenon. Stories are always told within the context of the biographies of two people who lived through the same period, but who took different paths when faced with historically significant situations.
