GERMANY :
DRESDEN
HISTORY
Saxony, a fertile
upland, lies at the very heart of the European continent; its main
river, the Elbe, is eastern Europe's most direct trade route to the
Atlantic Ocean. During the Middle Ages, rich deposits of silver, tin,
copper, iron, and semi- precious gems were discovered in Saxony's
mountainous south; with these mineral resources, Saxony developed into
an early center of craftsmanship and light industry. The Saxon monarchs
took great pride in their title of "elector," as only seven Germanic
rulers held the privilege of electing the Holy Roman Emperor.
Dresden came to
prominence relatively late in Saxon history -- not until 1485 did the
electors make this city their principal residence. Dresden's most
glorious period, both in art collecting and in architectural innovation,
occurred from 1697 to 1763, when two electors of Saxony also served as
kings of Poland, controlling one of Europe's largest empires. The last
monarch abdicated in 1918, and Saxony joined the modern German nation.
Dresden was
destroyed in the firestorms of the 13th -14th February allied
bombardment in 1945. During this attack about 25.000 people died. After
the war, the city was reconstructed as a large socialist city. The raid
was a deep blow to architectural history. For many centuries, the Saxon
princes had shaped a city center by extending the activities of their
palace toward the Elbe, which defined a public realm of gardens,
galleries, and theaters in a riverside esplanade inspired by the Piazza
San Marco on Venice's Grand Canal. The stately, mostly Baroque facades,
made of a golden Elbe sandstone weathered to a rich patina, formed a
linear acropolis lining a riverbank that served as a stage for
fireworks, gondola regattas, and reenacted sea battles. Reciprocal
Baroque palaces were built across the river. Dresden was a vision.
What the bombs
didn't destroy fell to Communist planners after the war. There were
enough surviving buildings, or remnants of buildings and street
infrastructure, with which to reconstruct the traditional character and
scale of the city. But intent on building a new utopian socialist city,
planners erased many of the buildings that had tiptoed through the
bombs. On the new tabula rasa, they built a politically correct field of
banality that celebrated collectivity.
Dresden today has a
new appearance. The second reconstruction of Dresden is in full swing.
By 2006 at the latest, in time for the city's 800 year jubilee, Dresden
should have been restored to what it was - a large city with a pulsating
centre and probably the most beautiful city in Germany. The Frauenkirche
church, the largest Protestant domed building in history, is to be
rebuilt with money contributed from all over the world. The whole area
around the Frauenkirche, which is currently empty, will be restored as a
piece of old Dresden. Next to historic Baroque buildings, new buildings
with old dimensions will be built. In the heart of Dresden, the Royal
Palace is being reconstructed. Directly opposite the palace is the
Taschenbergpalais, which was rebuilt after being reduced to just its
outer walls in the war.
