Frauenkirche Dresden — Attraction in Dresden

TLDR Version: Historically very relevant & interesting, NOT one that blends with dozens of others. Make time for the museum & the historical film. Miss the climb to the top & miss one of the best views in Europe. Elevator most of the way. ;-)

English version: If you have already visited a couple cathedrals, you might think this is just another cathedral, but that would be mistaken. I would rank this as Germany's #2 most accessible, because you can visit every inch of it, from the crypts to the cupola. I would rank only Cologne higher, but in my experience as a tourist, there is so much more to see in Dresden in addition to the cathedral, whereas Cologne has sadly very little else.

If you go on their website, you can contact them to book a screening of their proprietary historical documentary, showing the history of the reconstruction after the firebombing by allied bombers in WWII.

Follow that up with an ascent to the cupola to see one of the most beautiful views there is anywhere. The Elbe river flowing through Dresden (dubbed the "Florence of the North" for its Baroque architecture), was designated a "World Heritage Site" by the United Nations.

Follow up your ascent with chocolate ice cream, made with real cocoa (most are artificially flavored), and then dinner at a restaurant on Brühl's Terrace overlooking the river.

Visitors from the Philadelphia area will be pleasantly surprised to see that the entire waterfront is beautiful & free of industrialization, unlike the Delaware in Philly, where you shouldn't even eat the fish you might catch.

The Zwinger is also a must-see for art-lovers. (Closed Mondays).

If you're here for more than a day in warm weather, a river-ship cruise to Pillnitz Palace to stroll the grounds, which makes for a leisurely afternoon activity. The world's largest moving-greenhouse is found here to protect a huge camelia japonica from the cold of German winters.

Deutsche Version: Wenn du dich für den zweitbesten Dom Deutschlands interessierst, besuch mal Dresden! Buch mal auch den Film im Voraus um die Gezchichte des Wiederaufbaus zu erfahren. Den Küppel zu erreichen ist auch nicht schwer, denn ein Aufzug bringt dich die längste Strecke nach oben.

Der Zwinger, die Brühlsche Terasse, und eine Flussschifffahrt nach Pillnitz sind auch...

The Dresden Frauenkirche is a Lutheran church in Dresden, the capital of the German state of Saxony. Destroyed during the Allied firebombing of Dresden towards the end of World War II, the church was reconstructed between 1994 and 2005.

An earlier church building was Catholic until it became Protestant during the Reformation. The old church was replaced in the 18th century by a larger Baroque Lutheran building. It is considered an outstanding example of Protestant sacred architecture, featuring one of the largest domes in Europe. It was originally built as a sign of the will of the citizens of Dresden to remain Protestant after their ruler had converted to Catholicism. It now also serves as a symbol of reconciliation between former warring enemies.

After the destruction of the church in 1945, the remaining ruins were left for 50 years as a war memorial, following decisions of local East German leaders. The church was rebuilt after the reunification of Germany, starting in 1994. The reconstruction of its exterior was completed in 2004, and the interior in 2005. The church was reconsecrated on 30 October 2005 with festive services lasting through the Protestant observance of Reformation Day on 31 October. The surrounding Neumarkt square with its many valuable baroque buildings was also reconstructed in 2004.

The Frauenkirche is often called a cathedral, but it is not the seat of a bishop; the church of the Landesbischof of the Evangelical-Lutheran Church of Saxony is the Church of the Cross. Once a month, an Anglican Evensong is held in English, by clergy from St. George's Anglican...

Frauenkirche (free entry) is an interesting and important attraction at Neumarkt in Dresden. The church is open to visitors but with varying hours due to concert and worship services so best to check their website for exact times.

Historically, Frauenkirche was a Roman Catholic Church prior to the Reformation period, when it was converted a Lutheran Church. The Baroque appearance of the building is that of the 18th century church, was completely destroyed during the Dresden bombings in WWII. That church was left in ruins for nearly 50 years and has only been fully rebuilt by 2005 after a decade of reconstruction efforts.

Today, we can see the beautiful Frauenkirche once again. The exterior being that of the same and original Baroque architecture and design of builder Georg Bahr in the 1720s. It is decadent in appearance, featuring a large 96 metre tall dome which dominates the Dresden skyline.

The interior of the church is nice as well. There is a circular nave layout, with several floors of seating, which lend well to musical performances that are often held at Frauenkirche. The alter and grand organ situated above are just magnificent. It is a beautiful sight, worth spending a few minutes to enjoy.

In the end, Frauenkirche was the most interesting and impressive church attraction we visited during our short stay in Dresden. You can conveniently see Frauenkirche in 15-20 minutes, making this a convenient inclusion for sightseeing...