The Dresden residence castle is an ancient building. Her estimated age is nine hundred years. It is located in the center of a beautiful city and is a favorite destination for tourists visiting Germany. The first written mention of this building dates back to 1289, although many historians and scientists believe that it was built in the 12th century. Dresden Castle was for centuries the residence of the Electors of Saxony and then the Kings of Saxony. In the XV century it was transformed into a four-winged palace, destroyed by fire in 1701, but restored by Augustus the Strong.
As time passed, the castle-residence followed fashion and developed and expanded more and more. Therefore, its appearance is unique and inimitable. This is how the residence looks from the north side, where the main, so-called “St. George’s Entrance” is located (in honor of the Duke of Saxony, George the Bearded, during whose reign it was built). George the Bearded is sitting on a horse.
It is worth noting that from this side the facade looks rather gloomy:
On the left side of the picture we see the already familiar panel - “Procession of the Nobles.”
Dresden Residence Castle is a large building. To understand this better, I will offer you a model:
The largest tower is a former watchtower, the so-called Houseman Tower. The height of its weather vane is 100 meters. The tower is decorated with golden spheres and a clock. From the observation area you can see the details of the Hofkirche up close and admire the view of the city.
During the reign of August II the Strong, the Taschenberg Palace was built next to the residence of his beloved, Countess Kozel, and connected to it by internal passages.
The castle tower is also connected to the Dresden Cathedral (Hofkirche) by another passage.
This is what the north and west sides of the residence look like from the inside:
The Dresden Residence Castle has several attractions. The Green Vault Museum (Grünes Gewölbe), which houses a collection of jewelry, is worthy of special mention. This name is associated with the green malachite color of the columns, although now they are covered with mirrors.
The eight halls on the first floor display up to 3 thousand exhibits made of gold, silver, ivory, crystal, diamonds and amber. This is the "Historical Grunes Gewelbe".
And on the second floor, in ten rooms, there is the “new Grunes Gevelbe”. Only here you will find a carved cherry-colored stone (185 facets are carved on it), a composition by the royal court jeweler Johann Dinglinger “Reception at the Delhi Palace on the birthday of Aurangzeb the Great Mogul” (it includes 5120 diamonds, 160 rubies, 164 emeralds, 1 sapphire, 16 pearls, 2 cameos) and a green diamond weighing 41 carats. There are about a thousand exhibits.
The residence also has an "armory" (Rüstkammer). For a long time it was located in the Zwinger Palace, but since 2013 it has returned to its old place. Up to 10,000 valuable exhibits are collected here - swords, daggers, pistols, rifles, armor, harnesses and accessories.
The same museum houses the Turkish Armory, one of the oldest and most important collections of Ottoman art outside Turkey.
The Dresden residence castle also has a coin cabinet:
and a cabinet of engravings. Works by Dürer, Lucas Cranach the Elder, Rubens, Rembrandt, Goya, Michelangelo and other famous artists, engravings, photographs and lithographs of world significance, a total of 515 thousand exhibits, although only a small part of them is available to the general public.
The cost of a comprehensive ticket to the Dresden Castle-Museum-Residence (all museums and the observation deck of the watchtower, except for the “historic green vaults”) is: for adults – 14 euros, for schoolchildren and students over 17 years old – 10.50 euros, under 17 years old – free; The cost of admission to the “historic green vaults” is: for adults - 12 euros (additional fee of 2 euros if purchased in advance), for children under 17 years old - free.
Address of the castle residence in Dresden: Taschenberg 2.
To get to the residence, use: tram No. 4, 8, 9 - stop Theaterplatz.
Official website of the residence: skd.museum.
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