The Frauenkirche from the Augustusbrücke © Ricky Yates
On the evening of Sunday 21st August, I once again officiated at the monthly English-language Anglican Service of Evening Prayer, hosted by the Frauenkirche, Dresden. But additionally, I was invited to attend a Sommerfest the following evening, being laid on as a ‘Thank you’, to everyone who helps at the Frauenkirche throughout the year, both volunteers and paid staff.
So instead of returning to Prague on the Monday morning as I normally do, I stayed on for a further day and night, in order to enjoy the Sommerfest. This in turn meant that I had several hours during the day on Monday 22nd August, to occupy myself. As the weather was fine, I decided to climb the Frauenkirche dome, in order to reach the viewing platform, 67.06 metres above ground level, to enjoy spectacular views across Dresden.
The view to the west © Ricky Yates
This is the view westwards with the River Elbe flowing away to eventually reach the North Sea at Hamburg.
The view to the east © Ricky Yates
Whilst this is view looking eastwards, with the River Elbe flowing towards the centre of Dresden, having originally risen in the Krkonoše mountains in the far north of the Czech Republic.
Augustusbrücke © Ricky Yates
In between, is the Augustusbrücke, which links the Altstadt, where the Frauenkirche is situated, with the Neustadt.
Neustadt © Ricky Yates
This is the Neustadt, which can be seen in greater detail than with the naked eye, courtesy of the zoom function on my camera 🙂 , with the towering spire of the Dreikönigskirche in the centre of the photograph. Hotel Martha, where I stay overnight in Dresden, is just to the left of the Dreikönigskirche.
The view to the south-east © Ricky Yates
The views are not always perfect. South-east from the Altstadt are this series of tower blocks which mainly date from the communist era.
Neumarkt, with construction work continuing © Ricky Yates
And here on one side of Neumarkt, the large square on the southern side of the Frauenkirche, reconstruction work following the devastation of the city in February 1945, is still continuing.
Alles in Ordnung 😀 © Ricky Yates
It is fascinating, some of the quirky things you can sometimes see from a vantage point such as this. I loved the way all these bicycles had been dutifully parked in neat rows. Very much, Alles in Ordnung 😀
Interior view © Ricky Yates
When either ascending or descending the dome, you also get some amazing views of the Church interior. Here you can right down into the Hauptraum – the main worship space.
In the evening, I caught tram 11 out to Sommerwirtschaft Saloppe, the venue of the Sommerfest. It is an outdoor terrace with seating, and of course, a bar 😀 , situated in an attractive wooded area alongside the Elbe. Here we were treated to ein sommerliches GrillBuffet, together with a variety of drinks. It was wonderful to spend a little more time with some of the Frauenkirche people I already know, as well as to meet new people. It was also inevitably an evening for improving my limited German too 🙂
 Frauenkirchenpfarrer Sebastian Feydt welcoming everybody to the Sommerfest © Ricky Yates |
 My chocolate dessert and appropriate liquid refreshment © Ricky Yates |
Hello Ricky!!
I have been to Dresden once , that was quite a few years ago. We never got in to that church but I see we should have!! What a view!!! Elbe and for that matter Vltava, are such lovely rivers and the sight of the town by the water…Only I’m afraid of heights, maybe I will see this only through your eyes. If we go back, I’ll send my husband up….. but the beer and the chocolate I can handle, I think!! I loved that interior picture with the spiralcase, I could hang that as a wall-sized picture!!!
Hello Solveig,
If you visit Dresden, you should certainly see the Frauenkirche. Both the exterior & interior are quite spectacular. If you don’t like heights, then ascending the dome is probably not to be recommended. But as you say…. what a view!
I agree with you – a city situated on a river is very attractive – Prague on the Vltava & Dresden on the Elbe are both delightful!
Lovely views of Dresden. Always worth viewing a city from a high building. Glad to note you are still adventurous.
Ascending the Frauenkirche dome was certainly worth doing for the views, Heather. It is not too adventurous. There is a lift for the first section, then some fairly steep steps, followed by a spiral ramp which encircles the dome two & a half times. The trickiest bit is the last section – a spiral metal staircase up to the viewing platform.
What great views! Thank you for sharing them so that those of us not likely to ever get to Dresden have a chance to experience the city. It’s hard to believe that they are still rebuilding from the 1940s, but it must have been one of the most devastated cities in Europe so I guess the ongoing reconstruction makes a kind of sense.
Glad you enjoyed the views, Stephen.
Dresden was one of the most devastated cities in Europe during WW2. After 1945, whilst part of communist East Germany, large areas of the city were rebuilt in a “socialist modern” style, as you can see in one of the photographs. But the severely damaged buildings around the Neumarkt, (the large square in front of the Frauenkirche), were left untouched. Therefore work in that area is much more recent and ongoing.
Must do that climb; what pretty sights! I especially like the westward photo of the Elbe. Even the blocks don’t look so bad. A few years ago we also found lovely views at Schloss Albrechtsberg and Schloss Pillnitz, along the river. Thanks for the tip!
If you do visit Dresden again, Em, the climb up to the viewing platform of the Frauenkirche is well worth doing, provided that the weather is fine. Happy to pass on the tip 🙂
What a lovely evening and an opportunity to get to know Dresden and its people a bit better! It’s been years since my last visit but I’ve lately been getting a craving to visit this part of Germany again 🙂
I enjoy Dresden more, each time I visit. This last trip allowed me to explore it further. I do hope you get the opportunity to re-visit, Cynthia.
What marvellous views across Dresden! I’m very glad you ventured so high, Ricky, as like, Solveig, I have no head for heights, so could never see these views for myself. However, I’m looking forward very much to exploring a bit at ground-level next week. 🙂
Ground-level does also offer some good views which I’m sure will get your camera clicking, Perpetua 🙂
Beautiful photographs of a beautiful city Ricky, thank you. I too, sadly, have a fear of heights so the spiral staircase and viewing platform at 67 metres would be way beyond me. 🙁 Isn’t it wonderful to see the city still lively and vibrant along the river – so many cities turn away from the rivers that gave them life seem to gaze away down motorways or runways into emptiness. It seems from your photos that Dresden, like Prague, is still alive in its centre, long may it continue to be so. Thank you Ricky.
As always Sean, thank you for your kind compliments. I’m pleased to have given you, along with others who have a fear of heights, some views that they otherwise would not see.
The Elbe is a major feature in the centre of Dresden as is the Vltava in Prague. However, as a result, both cities do suffer from the risk of serious flooding, the most recent occurrence being in the summer of 2013.