Friday, August 10, 2012

Great Train Journey - Dresden: Part 2 (14 pics)

While in Dresden I had the opportunity to visit the most spectacular building I've ever seen, the Dresden Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady).  Originally built in the 18th century, it's 96-meter high dome (the "Stone Bell") was an engineering feat similar to Michelangelo's dome for St. Peter's Basilica in Rome.  The church survived for over 200 years as the Lutheran parish church for the city and was a central element of the cities distinctive skyline.  Unfortunately, the original church was destroyed in 1945 during the Allied fire-bombing of Dresden in which over 650,000 incendiary bombs were dropped on the city and the temperature at the church reportedly reach around 1000 degrees C, causing the sandstone pillars supporting the dome to explode and the dome to collapse.

During the Communist era, public sentiment kept the GDR government from taking away the rubble and making use of the site.  A large effort was undertaken to rebuild the church after reunification, using the original plans.  Reconstruction started in 1993 and was not completed until 2005.  The cost was around 180 million Euros, and included a new 4,873 pipe organ.

Quite simply, the results are stunning and if you ever get to Dresden, this should be the absolute first thing on your list of places to visit.



This is a picture of the Frauenkirche (link to the Saxony website on the church in English) looking across the Neuemarkt square.





Looking towards the Frauenkirche from a park along the River Elbe.



 The east side of the church, on the opposite side from the Neuemarkt.

 


There are at least 6 different levels inside the church that I could see.  And none of these pictures even remotely do justice to the interior.




 The other side of the interior.


 Part of the dome.



 Another part of the dome.




 Another part of the dome.



 And another part of the dome.



  Part of the main alter area.  It's incredibly ornate.




 More of the alter area decorations.




 More of the alter area decorations.




 Part of the pipes for the organ.




And another view of some of the organ pipes.

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