Dresden Highlights

This is one of the buildings at Pillnitz Palace. This was a summer palace gardens. This particular building was influenced by Chinese architecture.

This was another building at the Pillnitz Palace. There were a lot of building situated in a square U-shape around a fountain and gardens.

This is a building where they keep the potted plants for the winter.

This Kamelia shrub is MASSIVE. It is also over 200 years old. An expedition from England went to Japan and they came back with potted Kamelia plants. They were spread about Europe, and this is the only one still alive. The glass can be retracted during the summer when it is blooming.

This is Dresden's Frauenkirche. It was totally destroyed during the bombing of Dresden and has been rebuilt exactly like the old one using many of the old pieces. The old pieces are black due to fire and oxidization/weathering of the rocks.

This is near where the horses and carriages of the court were kept. The building where they were kept is right to the right of this photo. The carriages were kept on the first floor and the horses on the second flor. There is a big old ramp they had to climb up. This particular building I just liked all the sculpted animal heads and Italian influence.

This looking down the street where the Fürstenzug, "the Procession of Princes" in English, that painting on the right, is located.

This is the Fürstenzug. I don't know if you can tell but it is all done on porcelain tile. It was originally painted by Wilhelm Walter on stucco and when it began to deteriorate, porcelain tiles were made at the Meissen factory (where very expensive and famous Dresden china is made). The artists there painted each tile freehand based on Walter's original.

This was just a nice little view I liked on the bus.

This was the merry-go-round table at the restaurant we ate at for lunch. The atmosphere was awesome. The food was not my favorite. But this table had swings as seats and the whole thing rotates.

This is the cross from the original Frauenkirche. It was found in the rubble after the original cathedral was bombed.

This is the ceiling dome of the Frauenkirche.

This is the alter of the Frauenkirche. I actually much preferred this to any of the French cathedrals, just because the ambiance was so bright. The walls were white, there was a lot of gold, and TONS of windows.

This is a lovely little shot of me at the base of the Frauenkirche.

This is looking out into the courtyard of where the museum is. I am unclear as to what this building actually used to be.

This is the clock in that same unclear building circling the courtyard.

This is a cool statue (potentially fountain) right outside where we ate lunch. It was covered in tiny draaagons.

This was the best part of the meal. It was the most delicious cream of asparagus soup I've ever tasted in my whole life.

Lastly, an oillamp made out of a bomb sat upon the table from which we dined.

Dresden has made quite an impression on me. I really really really like this city. Tomorrow I'm moving on to Leipzig and by this time tomorrow night I should be in Berlin! Guten Abend!