Exploring Dresden, Germany
This May, I had the opportunity to study abroad in Central Europe with Middle Tennessee State University. Our party included two professors and twenty students, one of which was my mom. Over the twenty-two-day trip, we visited six countries and fourteen cities. Our first destination was Dresden, Germany.
Our first look at the Dresden Frauenkirche on our way to Pulverturm for dinner
On our first night, we had a group dinner at a famous restaurant in Dresden called Pulverturm. Pulverturm, which means “powder tower,” was originally built in 1565 as a gunpowder tower. Although we were all struggling to keep our eyes open from jet lag, the six-course meal, live entertainment, and cappuccinos soon had us wide awake. I got to try a few dishes such as rotkohl (braised red cabbage) for the first time. My favorite part of the evening was getting to cast my own “silver” bullet from molten aluminum.
View of the Frauenkirche dome from Brühl's Terrace
After a breakfast the next morning, we broke into teams of three or four and did a scavenger hunt all over Altstadt (old town) Dresden. The first team to finish was promised cake at Cosel Palais, but my team was much too enamored with the city to rush through any sight-seeing. I didn’t mind; it was fun to slow down and smell the roses.
Semperoper Dresden (opera house)
On the scavenger hunt, we saw the Zwinger, Bruhl’s Terrace, New Synagogue, Augustus Bridge, Neumarkt (New Market), Dresden Transport Museum, Dresden Academy of Fine Arts, the Semperoper, Dresden Castle, Fürstenzugm (Procession of Princes mural), and of course, the beloved Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady).
Another view of the Frauenkirche from Brühl's Garden near Dolphin Fountain
Oktogon, Art Hall of the University of Fine Arts
Me, my mom, and Toscha outside the Dresden Zwinger after finishing our “scavenger hunt”
This photo was inspired by Bruce Barnbaum, author of The Art of Photography: A Personal Approach to Artistic Expression. The moody undertones and symmetry of this archway caught my fascination.
The Dresden Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady)
I thought the outside of the Frauenkirche was grand with its seven doors—but the inside was beyond comparison. A hush seemed to fall upon each visitor upon stepping inside, and golden light from the windows flooded the sanctuary. Some people were kneeling in prayer; others were reverently standing. Although the church was quite crowded with guests, the people kept their voices low and their thoughts toward Heaven.
The magnificent golden altarpiece and organ inside the Frauenkirche
After a bite to eat from a local shop in Neumarkt, we reunited with the rest of the group and saw Grünes Gewölbe (the Green Vault), the largest treasure collection in Europe. I could have stayed and admired the place for hours, but we had to climb the Frauenkirche before dark.
Rüstkammer (armory) in Grünes Gewölbe (Green Vault) in Dresden, Germany
Ascent to the top of the Frauenkirche
The climb to the top of the Frauenkirche seemed never-ending, but the views at the top were extraordinary! The miniature city below was settling down for the night like birds twittering before evenfall; market vendors were closing their windows, and the last singing notes of a violin could be heard on the velvety air. In the other direction stretched the River Elbe, winding its way through the city we had just explored. Very far beyond the northeast mountains lay Poland, although it was too far away to see. Our group stayed atop the dome until it was time to go down. We drank in the air, listened to the quiet city noises, and gazed into the distance at the world beyond.
View from the top of the Frauenkirche: Cosel Palais (directly below); Oktogon, Art Hall of the University of Fine Arts (across the street); the River Elbe, gracefully winding its way through Dresden; and Sächsische Staatskanzlei, office of the Minister-President of Saxony (across the river).
All the travelers atop the Frauenkirche dome
My mom and me at the top of the Frauenkirche
After dinner, we walked across the Augustus Bridge to Dresden Neustadt (new town) and had gelato at Eiscafé Venezia. Neustadt was charming, but in a different way; I preferred the quaintness of Altstadt instead. The next morning, we made an excursion to Zgorzelec, Poland. You will be able to read about that excursion soon!
Flowers at a local vendor’s shop in Altmartk, Dresden
On May 12, 2023 we visited the Volkswagen Transparent Factory for our first assignment. We watched how each car is assembled and learned about the ways in which Volkswagen is actively working to become carbon neutral by 2050.
A lovely reflection outside the Volkswagen Transparent Factory
Afterward, we found a farmer’s market called the Sachsenmarkt (Saxon Market) which was mostly lovely. All manner of goods were for sale—fruits, vegetables, sandwiches, baskets, flowers, bread, cheese, and even horse meat. I did not try any horse meat (how could I?), but I did try leberkäse, which was similar to bologna.
Fruits for sale at Sachsenmarkt (Saxon Market) in Dresden, Germany
After lunch, my mom and I walked to Altmarkt in search of a konditorei (confectionary) for coffee and cake. We found the perfect one, called Emil Reimann Eiscafé, near the Frauenkirche. We each had a milch kaffee (like café au lait) and decided to share a piece of cake. Each cake in the konditorei was so beautifully adorned that I thought we might never make up our mind. Each time one of us had quite decided, the other pointed out an equally eligible candidate! However, my mom and I can always agree on one thing: chocolate. In the end we chose the black forest cake, and it was delightful!
Black forest cake from Emil Reimann Eiscafé
We then took a stroll around the market, partly to admire the shops and partly to walk off the cake. Although the town center was busy, it not loud. We listened to street musicians, wandered in and out of shops, and practiced the few German words we knew. My mom’s skills of German were much more agile than mine, but nobody seemed to mind my attempts at “danke” and “bitte schön.”
Enjoying milch kaffee with my mom at Emil Reimann Eiscafé
The next morning, we boarded a train for Prague, Czech Republic. You can read about our trip soon!
A cellist performing “Ave Maria” outside the Zwinger
On our last full day in the city, I explored the Old Masters Picture Gallery in the Zwinger. The gallery displayed around 750 paintings, including works by Raphael, Rembrant, and Rubens. Again, I could have spent all day studying the masterpieces on all four floors of the museum, but three hours had to suffice.
After quick lunch snack from Altmarkt, we visited the Dresden Panometer. The former gasometer (gas storage facility) is now a museum about Germany during the Baroque era and World War II. After a tour in the outer part of the Panometer, we entered an enormous panoramic world inside the old gasometer. I felt like I was a miniature figurine inside a snow globe. In every direction, a photo-realistic rendering of the old city was stretched forth on seamless fabric. I later learned that the panorama was created by an Austrian-born artist named Yadegar Asisi.
Outside Cosel Palais
Afterward, we all went to Cosel Palais for the promised cake, as well as cappuccinos and eiskaffee (a non-sweet mixture of cold coffee, ice cream, and whipped cream). We had a group dinner at a beer garden in Neustadt Dresden called Augustusgarten.
Haustorte (house cake) at Cosel Palais: baumkuchen, vanilla, and chocolate
After our week exploring the lovely Dresden, we headed to our next “hub” city: Mannheim. You can read about our trip soon!
