Dresden‘s Rise from Ruin: A Tour of its Architectural Revival

Dresden isn’t unique in the way that old and new are intertwined in its urban spaces, but the contrast between past and present is sometimes difficult to reconcile. On this walking tour along Prager Strasse, you‘ll see both sides: the iconic, historical skyline from a vantage point on the bank of the Elbe River, and several signs of the city’s radical modern post-WWII reconstruction.

Starting in front of Dresden Central Station, you‘ll stroll past the glass-fronted buildings that form part of a post-war urban planning experiment, to cobbled Castle Square (Schlossplatz), which is surrounded by restored historical buildings. Along the way, you‘ll learn about the tragic history of this famous stretch, and hear about the ideology that shaped the rebuilding of post-war Dresden.You‘ll also find a forgotten message in the “Dresden Greets its Guests“ mural, and get a chance to make a wish at the statue of Bacchus‘ drunken donkey.

Along the way, you‘ll:

• Walk down Dresden‘s former shopping mile and hear about life before the war
• Find a sandstone marker from 1550 that commemorates the building of the old city walls of Dresden
• Spot the golden Hercules statue known as ‘Town Hall Man’ on top of Rathaus Dresden
• See Dresden Royal Palace, which dates back as far as the 1200s
• Learn about the darkening sandstone facade of Holy Cross Church
• Visit Altmarkt, the square where one of Germany‘s oldest Christmas markets is held
• Take in Centrum Galerie shopping centre and discover the phenomenon of longing for aspects of Eastern German life, known as “Ostalgie“
• Trace the Path of the Red Flag mural at the Palace of Culture (Kulturpalast), a cultural centre

This tour highlights the key moments in Dresden‘s architectural rebirth. You‘ll hear about where its past was restored and where it gave way to its future. All the while, you‘ll receive key historical context about the city, and the life of its residents before the war.