Best attractions in Dresden: Top 20
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If you do not know what every tourist should see in Dresden, study our review carefully. We will give you competent recommendations and tell you about the best sights in Dresden that will make your trip bright and memorable.
What’s the first thing to see in Dresden?
Experienced guides in Dresden recommend not leaving out the following cultural, historical and architectural sites:
1. Zwinger
Our rating of “Interesting places in Dresden” is rightly headed by the Baroque masterpiece. At one time jousting tournaments were held in the Zwinger, and the lords of Saxony held lavish celebrations here. The present-day appearance of this Dresden landmark is that of a palace museum, whose many halls hold unique exhibits: weapons, paintings, porcelain objects, etc.
Official website: https://www.der-dresdner
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2. Dresden Art Gallery
If you are passionate about art from different eras, you now know exactly what you should visit in Dresden. In the collections of this legendary gallery you can find works by such famous masters as Titian, Rubens, Rembrandt, and Poussin. Moreover, it is here that the “Sistine Madonna”, created by Raphael, is located.
Official website: https://www.skd.museum
3. Albertinum Art Museum
In the “Treasury” of this museum complex you can see many unique sculptures created in the last five thousand years. Among others, the oldest collection of antiques from Italy is present here. In addition to the sculptural compositions, the halls display Egyptian mummies, bronzes, terracotta, etc.
Official website: https://www.skd.museum
4. Dresden Castle-Residence
The rooms of the residence are equipped with an Armory, a cabinet of engravings and a cabinet of numismatics, and a “green vault” (collection of precious objects) is kept. The facade and architecture of the castle also draw rave reviews from connoisseurs of architecture, especially admirers of eclectic and Romanesque styles. The building is considered one of the most majestic and beautiful in the city: the slender spire of its watchtower can be seen from various parts of Dresden.
Official website: https://www.skd.museum/ru
5. Bruhl’s Terrace
Which excursions in Dresden are completely free to visit? The Balcony of Europe or Bruhl’s Terrace is half a thousand meters between the Karoly and Augustus bridges. When you come here, you can enjoy the enchanting landscapes of the city and the River Elbe. In addition, there are many restaurants and museums on this stretch of the promenade.
Official website: http://www.dresden.de/ru
Take a look at the magnificent views of Dresden in this beautiful video!
6. Frauenkirche - Church of Our Lady
One of the main features of this Evangelical Lutheran church is the gigantic bell of stone with two casings. Decorating the interior are sculptures from the 17th and 18th centuries, an altar and a huge organ.
7. Kreuzkirche - Church of the Holy Cross
This spiritual music center of the city is invariably included in the “Germany’s best sights“ ranking. It hosts performances by the Boys and Men’s Choir and organ music concerts. The church got its name from a unique relic that was kept here in former times - a piece of the cross on which Christ was crucified.
8. Hofkirche - Catholic court church
The Baroque church has an unusually graceful and airy appearance. And this despite the fact that the dimensions of its rather large-scale: the height of the two-story tower with an onion top and a cross - more than 80 meters, width - over 50 meters. The oval-shaped base changes the “appearance” of the structure depending on which side one looks at it.
9. The Church of the Three Magi
A medieval building in the neo-Gothic style. Especially recommended for those who don’t know where to go in Dresden, but want to see the main architectural masterpieces of the city. The church is famous for its organ, the 7-meter high altar, the altarpiece by Mengas, the rococo pulpit and the ancient 12-meter high relief of the Dance of Death. Over the many years of its existence, the church has survived several destructions and fires. However, it is now a superbly reconstructed and restored historical and architectural monument.
10. Semper Opera
If you love music, your trip should include a visit to this opera house. The chic, three-story house has equally sumptuous interiors, and the opera artists who perform here are national pride. If you don’t want to buy a ticket for the performances, book a tour. You can go up to the observation deck, see the stucco, paintings, the stage and its arrangement, the impressive decoration of the interior halls and rooms.
Not everyone knows that behind the main theater there is another building of the Semper Opera 2 (an extension built later). Here are also organized performances, but more modest. The hall, which seats two hundred spectators, is popular for its relaxed chamber atmosphere.
11. German Hygiene Museum
Be sure to visit this museum, if only for the sake of its permanent exhibit “Adventure-Man”. You can see human figures made of glass and wax. Press buttons and various body parts and organs will be illuminated. Exhibits about death, disease, aging, nutrition, and other processes will be of interest to children and adults alike. You will be able to educate your child about human anatomy, healthy eating and hygiene. The museum is conditionally divided into an “adult” and a “children’s” part, so you can safely visit it with small children. There is a souvenir shop and a small restaurant.
Official site: https://www.dhmd.de/en/
12. Panneau “Procession of Princes”
The 100-meter-long mosaic is located on the outer wall of the palace-gallery on Augustusstrasse. It depicts the princes of the Saxon dynasty. The present work in the sgraffito technique was done by W. Walter in 1879, the former panel was painted by an unknown artist more than four hundred years ago. The “Procession of Princes” consists of 94 people - there are children, craftsmen, men of science, Saxon rulers and the high nobility. Greyhounds and horses are depicted with the people.
13. Bundeswehr Kunsthistorisches Museum
Ten thousand exhibits - the first submarine, military aircraft, cannons, a robot for searching mines, ancient war-time exhibits and items of modern weapons technology. The museum building can impress no less than its collections: it is pierced through with a huge wedge of shining metal. This is just an illusion, however: if you walk around the structure from the back side, you’ll see that the wedge is a separate structure in the middle of an empty Bundeswehr site. Tours of the museum are completely free (held during certain hours).
Official website: http://mhm-gatow.de/en/
14. Jenice building
Formerly a tobacco factory, today it is a place for offices of various companies. Under the dome of the building there is a café with a panoramic view and in the basement parties are held. The oriental architectural style of the 1909 building, so unusual in Dresden, is associated with the style of mosques.
Official website: https://www.yenidze
15. The Elbe Castles of Dresden
Three small but beautiful castles built in the 19th century: all are open to tourists. Around the castle complex are vineyards and beautiful parks, ideal for leisurely walks. Eckberg, Lingnera and Albrechtsberg have never been used for defensive purposes, despite the fact that they are situated on a strategically advantageous hill.
We have told you about the main sights of Dresden briefly, and we recommend that you should definitely see them with your own eyes.
Dresden sights: what else is there to see in Dresden?
Now you know what to see in Dresden in 1 day. If you have free time, devote it to visits to such famous places as:
16. Pilnitz Castle
Few of the best attractions in Dresden can boast the same popularity as this water castle. By the way, there are a lot of museums in it: the exhibits belong to the 17th and 18th centuries (fabrics, paintings, household items, musical instruments). If you are fond of gardening, take a walk through the local greenhouses in the English and Chinese style, and the garden park complex. A unique Japanese camellia has been growing here for more than two hundred years, surprising visitors with its grace.
Official website: http://www.schlosspillnitz
17. Castle Moritzburg
A fabulous paradise for introverts. If you are one of them, or if you enjoy the movie “Three Nuts for Cinderella”, be sure to book hotels in Dresden and come here. The building is connected to the outside world only by a narrow path. The magical palace seems to float above the water and the surrounding lakes. One of the lakes imitates a seascape: there is a high lighthouse and a pier. As we said, you can see the facade of the castle in the movie “Cinderella.”
Official website: http://www.schloss-moritzburg
18. Elba River
The river is over 1,150 km long. The waters of the Elbe flow through the area of the two states, the Czech Republic and Germany. Dresden Valley (area of the city with a section of the river) - beautiful flood meadows, where no construction work has ever been carried out. The width of the valley is about a hundred meters. Some slopes along the Elbe are terraced - they are still used for growing grapes. There are several modest historical villages, preserved since the Industrial Revolution.
19. Loschwitz Bridge
A landmark also known as the “Blue Wonder” (the name was given by the unusual shape and coloring of the structure). The structure stands on the bank of the river on two piers. The width and length of the bridge is 12 meters and 280 meters respectively. You can walk on the sidewalk for pedestrians, or take a car or bus ride on the roadway of this engineering marvel.
20. Bastai Bridge
The unusual and dangerous bridge is located in the German National Park, about two hundred meters above the river. There is a beautiful observation deck, a museum, outlaw cabins, a waterfall, and several ancient forts nearby. The bridge itself stretches between the rocky mountains, and from a bird’s-eye view offers a panorama of the national park, mountain plateau, fields and forests. If you want to make unique photos or just admire the views of Saxony “from the clouds”, you will not find a better place.
Official website: https://www.saechsische-schwei
We are sure that our Dresden sights, photos with names and descriptions of which you have just looked at, will interest you. If you want to know more information and interesting facts about them, hire an experienced guide to accompany you. Read also about sights of Dusseldorf and be inspired for your next trip to Germany.
