Welcome to Dresden!
Frauenkirche, Zwinger, Semperoper, Elbe, a varied offering of museums and theatres – this is what makes Dresden one of the most popular tourist destinations in Germany. Dresden is one of the truly great cities of art and culture thanks in no small part to the prince-electors and kings of Saxony, their desire to assert their prowess on the European scene and their passion for collecting.
The city boasts more than 50 museums and at least 30 theatrical venues. The 14 constituent museums and galleries of the Dresden State Art Collections make it one of the most important such groupings in the world. Based at the Semperoper, the Sächsische Staatskapelle ranks among the world’s top classical orchestras.
The cosmopolitan character of Dresden is immediately apparent from the many different languages that can be heard in public places, especially at the universities and the various research institutions. There are over 40 research institutions in the city, and all four major German research organizations have facilities here. Furthermore, the Saxon capital is a major hub for microelectronics, ICT, nanotechnology as well as in the pioneering research fields of new materials, life sciences and biotechnology.
In addition to ten thematically very different Christmas markets, the famous since 1434 Striezelmarkt invites you to enjoy and marvel. The traditional pastry, the Dresden Christstollen®, which is also called “Striezel” is here the name-giver of the oldest Christmas market in Germany.