12th -16th April 12 - DRESDEN

To Dresden for the weekend with Mike & Mo.

Steigenberger Hotel de Saxe where we are staying.
The view from the hotel of the Frauenkirche. In Feb 1945, the RAF bombed Dresden killing many thousands (some say up c100,000) and destroying the old City in the firestorm that ensued. The City was left as a ruin whilst under Soviet control until unification. Since the 1990s, the City has been rebuilt. The cathedral is totally a new construction to the old design using some of the old materials. You can see the fire-damaged and blackened bricks.
Frauenkirche Square
The wonderful reconstructed altar
Looking down as we climb to the top of the dome
Wonderful views down the River Elbe from the top
Hofkirche (Catholic Cathedral)
Zwinger Palace. Art galleries and an amazing collection of porcelain. Today we did the Green Vault, two art galleries, more jewelry, porcelain etc than you can imagine.
Dinner at the best fish restaurant in Dresden - very good too!
On to 14th Apr - Meissen