Dreary Dresden (it was nice, but the weather wasn't)

After showering and getting ready in the luxurious campground amenity block it was time to explore Dresden. Though it had stopped raining the weather was still quite threatening so we drove into the city and on a tip from the campground staff found a park for 3€ for 24hours.

Dresden

Dresden centre

From here it was a short walk into the old town centre. Dresden was famously bombed right at the end of WWII and it became quit a controversy as it held little of military value and it came at a high civilian toll (more than 35,000 people died). Luckily much of the old city has been restored and though it is quite compact it was quite beautiful.

We started with a stroll along the river past the Kunstakademie – yes we know what it looks like but it is actually a very cultural place – the Dresden art academy, nothing like you devious minded people were thinking. Many works were produced by the Italian masters who flocked to Dresden.

The Kunstakademie

Next we passed by the Semproper – the Neo-renaissance opera house.

The Opera House

Right next door (I said it was a compact place) was the Zwinger – Dresden fortress. Home to not 1 , not 2 but 6 museums! WE were keen to visit the Gallery Altemister which holds Raphael’s Sistine Madonna as  well as the sister museum – The Rustkammer (ceremonial weapons collections) however it was Monday and all the museums are closed (another rule of Europe).

The Zwinger

The inside of the Zwinger - fortress/palace

Feel like a swim Dave?

The only one that was open was the porcelain collection and for some reason Dave wasn’t that keen, so instead we settled on a curry wurst and a beer each (Erdinger and Dresdener) in an alley bar and managed to escape a rain shower under some umbrellas with gas heaters.

The Aussie bar

Hotdogs and beer German style

After the rain we ventured back out into the streets past the Schloss (palace) and along the Augustrasse admiring the 102m long freeze made out of tiles – the Procession of the Princes.

The procession of the princes - all mosaic tiles

This led us to the Catholic Cathedral with its relics of St Benedict.

Dresden's catholic cathedral

Illegal piccy - no pictures allowed!!!

...and another

Finished in town we headed to collect Mulder just in time to witness a car door vs cyclist. The cyclist was quite angry but uninjured and the whole scene was quite funny to watch from afar.

Next stop Prague n the Czech Republic, where we checked in at Camping Triocamp.

And at the other end of the Auguststrasse in the Neumarkt stands the Prodestant Church – the Frauenkirche (church of our Lady). This was completely flattened by bombs but was rebuilt recently for Dresdens 800^th anniversary celebrations. A lovely baby blue and pink motif decorates the interior of the circular church.

Out the front of the Church of our Lady in the main town square