Dresden Travel Guide
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198km (123 miles) S of Berlin, 111km (69 miles) SE of Leipzig
Dresden, once known as "Florence on the Elbe," was celebrated throughout Europe for its architecture and art treasures. Then came the night of February 13, 1945, when Allied bombers rained down phosphorus and high-explosive bombs on the city, which had no military targets. By morning, the Dresden of legend was but a memory. No one knows for sure how many died, but the number is certainly in the tens of thousands, and perhaps more. If you're interested in the subject, you might want to read Kurt Vonnegut's novel Slaughterhouse Five.
Today, Dresden is undergoing a rapid and dramatic restoration, and is once again a major sightseeing destination. Dresden also boasts beautiful churches and palaces, as well as many world-class museums -- among the finest in all of Germany.
City officials want the entire city rebuilt by 2006 in time for Dresden's 800th anniversary. Even though that dream is a long way from being realized, much has already been accomplished. Thankfully, the work has proceeded along sensible lines and has none of the unreal, theme-park feeling that some restorations produce. Wherever you go, you will not be allowed to forget the Allied bombings of February 1945, which destroyed about three-quarters of the Altstadt.
