119
EAT AND DRINKMEISSEN
Vincenz Richter moderate
This restaurant, housed in a snug
16th-century tavern, has been run by
over four generations of the Richter
family, who also sell their own wines.
An der Frauenkirche 12, 01662; 03521
45 32 85; closed Sun dinner & Mon
zenSuR moderate
From herb-encrusted rack of venison
to open turbot ravioli with chorizo
sauce, this restaurant serves dishes to
suit all moods and has special menus
created by master-chef Torsten Ehrig.
Heinrichsplatz 6, 01662; 03251 411 10;
closed Tue & WedDRESDEN
Alte Meister moderate
Modern international dishes such as
grilled fish with potato and saffron
risotto are served in this stylish café-
restaurant at the back of the Zwinger.
Theaterplatz 1a, 01067; 0351 481 04 26
Sophienkeller moderate
Waitresses in period costume serve
hearty fare such as roast suckling pig
in this restaurant in the stone cellars
opposite the Zwinger.
Taschenburg 3, 01067; 0351 49 72 60
Villandry moderate
A relaxed locals’ restaurant and bar
specializing in Mediterranean cuisine.
Jordanstrase 8, 01099; 0351 899 67 24;
closed SunAbove Baroque Zwinger, the showpiece
of Dresden Below Field of flowering crops
along the road to DresdenDRIVE 11: On the Trail of the Sun King
“balcony of Europe” in Dresden’s
heyday. Ascend a staircase, to the left,
to access the Brühlscher Terrasse atop
the town’s fortifications
Continue down the terrace,
toward the tiered spire of the
Hofkirche and the Schlossplatz,
beside the State Parliament.
First, though, turn left on to
Augustusstrasse for the
Fürstenzug 3 , a 335-ft
(102-m) long frieze, made of
24,000 Meissen china tiles,
which depicts eight centuries of
Saxon rulers in a medieval
pag eant. Behind this is the
Renaissance courtyard of
the royal stables, the
Johanneum 4 , which houses a
transport museum (closed Mon).
Return to the Schlossplatz. The
Italian-designed Catholic Hofkirche 5
was Augustus’s bid to appease the
Pope, who had begun to suspect
that the elector’s conversion to
Catholicism was just a ruse to claim
the Polish crown. Take a look at its
all-German interior, fur nished with
a Rococo pulpit by court sculptor
Balthasar Permoser. Then walk round
to Theaterplatz and the prestigious
Semperoper 6 , which replicates
the opera house where composer
Richard Wagner pre miered works
such as Tannhäuser. The show piece
of Dresden is the Baroque palace,
Zwinger 7 , next door. Ascend via
its outstanding Wallpavillon gate-
way to walk the balus trade. It has
three muse ums (closed Mon): the
Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister,
Rüstkammer and Porzellansammlung.
Exit via the Glockenspielpavillon,
named for its carillon of porcelain bells,
and pass the former palace guard-
house, now a ticket booking center,
to reach the Residenzschloss 8
(open Wed–Mon), the colossal
electors’ palace. Augustus’s trea s-
ury (Grünes Gewölbe) within
has many bejew eled gold
and porce lain trinkets. Ascend the
tower (late Mar–Oct: open Wed–Mon)
for a view over the skyline. Exit left
from the palace to see the antithe-
sis of such decadence, the
Kulturpalast, now the tourist
office, an example of stark
Com munist archi tec ture. Walk
alongside it to return to Neumarkt to
relax in its cafés and then take
Landhausstrasse to the parking lot.
ª Follow signs for Pillnitz along
the south bank of the river, across a
bridge and then along the north bank
for about 4 miles (6 km). Parking is
available at the Schloss on the left.Sculpture on a dome
in DresdenEat and Drink: inexpensive, under €20; moderate, €20–€40; expensive, over €400 meters0 yards200200POST-
PLATZTHEATER-
PLATZALTMARKTSCHLOSS-
PLATZNEUMARKTOSTRA-ALLEEM WALLSTRASSE
AR
IEN
ST
RA
SS
ESC
HL
OSSSTRTH
EATER
PLATZSEE
STRAS
SE(^)
(^)
(^)
LAND
HAUS
STRASSE
AUG
USTUSSTR
ASS
E
GALE
RIEST
RAS
SE
SALZGASSE
S C H I
ES
SG
A S
SE
SALZGASSE
(^)
(^) TE
RR
AS
SEN
UF
ER
(^)
(^)
(^)
(^)
TERRASSENUFER
WILSDRUF
FER STR
S
T^ P
ET
ER
SB
UR
GE
R^
ST
RA
SS
E
AUGUSTUSBRÜCKE
Frauenkirche
Brühlscher Terrasse
Fürstenzug
Johanneum
Hofkirche
Semperoper
Zwinger
Residenzschloss
Festung
Dresden
Albertinum
Staatlische
Kunstsaalmungen
Kulturpalast
Elbe