Zwinger Palace Ensemble

Zwinger is a famous palace complex and one of the most outstanding museum centers in Europe. It is located in the historic center of the ancient German city of Dresden, the capital of Saxony. The most famous of the Zwinger’s collections is the Dresden Picture Gallery, with more than 500,000 art connoisseurs visiting its exhibitions throughout the year. Zwinger’s other famous museums include works of sculpture, luxurious collections of Chinese, Japanese and Meissen porcelain, and Europe’s largest display of authentic Enlightenment scientific instruments.

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The brilliant architectural ensemble of the Zwinger is one of Dresden’s iconic landmarks, this tourist attraction is a must-see for travelers to the city. The pan-European significance of the museum complex is emphasized in EU currency. In 2016, a series of 2 € coins with minted images of the Zwinger’s architectural monuments entered circulation.

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Video: Zwinger

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History

The word “Zwinger” is a medieval German military term meaning the narrow space between the inner city walls and the outer fortifications. If the first line of defense was breached, attackers were trapped in a stone trap under fire from both sides. In the XVII century Dresden expanded, the streets went beyond the ancient city walls, and there was no need for such structures. In 1709, the Elector of Saxony and King of Poland August the Strong ordered to build a greenhouse on the empty Zwinger for growing exotic fruit trees and flowers. In summer, tubs with trees laden with strange fruits were taken out into the air, creating picturesque walkways on the square with terraces on the ramparts. A few years later, the king decided to turn the Zwinger into a place for festivals and celebrations.

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A turning point in the fate of the Zwinger was the upcoming wedding of Crown Prince August III to Princess Maria, daughter of Emperor Joseph I of Habsburg, in August 1719. To celebrate the marriage, which gave the Saxon dynasty the right to inherit the imperial crown, the Zwinger underwent a grandiose construction. Dull walls and bastions were demolished, and granite and marble blocks were delivered along the Elbe for the construction of new buildings. By the end of the summer of 1719 the Zwinger had acquired a solemn and festive look, which visitors admire even today. The German Pavilion, which resembled a small palace, was erected for the wedding ceremony. It now houses art and restoration workshops.

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Ten years later, the king decided to change the purpose of the Zwinger. The fashion for oriental curiosities had passed, the Age of Enlightenment had arrived. The former greenhouses and pavilions for entertainment turned into museums of European art and achievements of German science, filled with exhibits from the palace collections. The Saxon electors spared no expense in replenishing the exposition.

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The Zwinger was destroyed several times. For the first time its buildings were damaged by Prussian cannons during the Seven Years’ War, which lasted from 1756 to 1763. In the following century, the eastern part of the complex was scorched by a great fire that broke out during the revolutionary upheavals of 1849. One of the irreparable losses caused by that fire was the extensive research library, which contained priceless medieval manuscripts.

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The fate of the Zwinger museums was particularly dramatic in the 20th century, after Chancellor Adolf Hitler came to power. In 1931, the Nazis confiscated and burned several collections of contemporary modernist and abstractionist artists, declaring the images “creations of degenerate art”. Among them were works by world-renowned masters, such as Norwegian artist Edvard Munch. By the way, his painting “The Scream” was sold in May 2012 for a record $120 million.

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During World War II, waiting for the Allied offensive, the museum staff hid the Zwinger’s art collections in abandoned mining mines. However, not everything could be taken out. As a result of a raid on Dresden by several hundred bombers of British and American aircraft in February 1945, the buildings of the museum complex were turned into smoking ruins. About two hundred paintings, still in the Zwinger buildings or already loaded onto cars in the courtyard, were burned. Among them, large format paintings perished.

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After the war, Dresden was in the occupation zone of the USSR, the artworks discovered were taken to the Soviet Union. In 1955, on the initiative of the new Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev, about one and a half thousand paintings were returned to Dresden, but the fate of another 450 paintings is still unknown to this day.

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For many years painstaking restoration work was carried out at the Zwinger, and it was only in the 1960s that the museum and gallery buildings were restored to their former appearance.

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New times

In 2017, another renovation of the interiors and dilapidated communications was completed in the premises of the Dresden Art Gallery. The designers proposed to use variations in background colors to structure the collection more effectively visually. Now the walls of the halls where works by Italian artists are displayed are deep red. Dutch and Flemish paintings are displayed on a green background, while Spanish and French paintings from the 17th century are displayed on velvety gray.

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By the end of 2019, it is planned to complete the reconstruction of the halls in the east wing of the art gallery, where the Museum of Sculpture will be set up. It will feature a splendid collection of antique and medieval sculptures, which were previously housed separately. Reconstruction is being completed in the premises allocated for the new exhibition. The most interesting exhibits are still housed in the Zwinger’s French Pavilion and other museums in Dresden, while the works of contemporary sculptors can be seen in the New Masters Gallery on the Elbe embankment.

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In all renovations of the museum’s facades, restorers carefully preserve inconspicuous graffiti. This is the inscription scratched in Russian in the spring of 1945 on the wall of the gallery overlooking Theater Square: “The museum has been checked. There are no mines.”

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Architectural appearance of the Zwinger

The Zwinger’s ornate complex of buildings gives the impression of a single integral project of a fairytale royal palace. In the perspective of the entrance arch you will immediately see the equestrian statue of the creator of this beauty – Elector Augustus. The roof of one of the pavilions is crowned with an allegorical sculpture of Hercules holding the globe on his shoulders. The statue of the mighty demigod symbolizes the Elector’s unfulfilled dreams of ascending to the imperial throne of Germany. The bas-reliefs with two-headed imperial eagles decorating the pediments of the pavilions also testify to these ambitions.

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The entire Baroque exterior of the Zwinger is saturated with sculptures, fine moldings and stone carvings. Many of the decorative elements were recreated from local limestone by post-war restorers.

Entering the Zwinger from Theater Square, don’t miss one of the outstanding architectural sights of the complex. Make your way to the right, behind the French Pavilion. Here, in an enclosed courtyard, hides the lovely Nymphenbad, which means Bathing of the Nymphs. In the jets of the fountains and in the niches of the stone walls are frozen statues of dancing beauties, watched with delight by satyrs. Grottos with fountains and sculptural compositions are arranged on the slope of the ancient ramparts, murmuring waterfalls fall down from the terraces from bowl to bowl. The Nymphenbad will serve as a recognizable backdrop for your selfies.

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A small Clock Pavilion serves as the side gate of the Zwinger. The pavilion with the chiming clock was erected between 1728 and 1732. The structure later received the name Carillon. Originally, the grand entrance to Zwanger Square from the side of the Old Opera House passed through its arch. On the facade of the pavilion there is a clock with a carillon – bells of different sizes made of gilded Meissen porcelain, each of them has a strictly verified tonality of sound. During the bombing on February 13, 1945, most of the bells and mechanisms of the carillon were destroyed. In 1955 the carillon was restored and supplemented with new bells made of white porcelain, its musical possibilities became much wider.

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The porcelain carillon plays melodic sounds every quarter hour, half hour and full hour, with the melodies varying. The scales for these chimes were specially written by German composers. On feast days, the bells play solemn music. Audio recordings reproducing all variations of the carillon’s musical compositions are available for purchase in the pavilion.

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The vast palace inner green square with fountains and ancient lanterns, decorative water bodies and sculptures, is framed by elegant galleries-colonnades, baroque pavilions in the shape of a horseshoe. On the south side the square is bounded by the Straight Galleries, which are attached to the Crown Gate (1711), crowned with the Polish royal crown shining in gold. The entire opposite north side is occupied by the two-storey building of the Picture Gallery (1855), also called Semper Gallery, after the architect who designed the building. The galleries and pavilions on the eastern side of the square mirror the structures of its western wing.

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It is surprising that the architects, who erected buildings in different eras, managed to achieve such architectural harmony and continuity in the vision of the overall plan, the realization of which stretched over several centuries. The original structures, built in the German Baroque style, are in no way suppressed by the massive Renaissance building of the picture gallery, which dominates the ensemble. The priceless collection of art canvases housed there is one of the centers of attraction on the cultural map of Europe, along with the Louvre in Paris, the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, and the Spanish Escorial.

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Dresden Art Gallery

The famous collection of paintings in Dresden is also known as the Old Masters Gallery of the 15th and 18th centuries. Canvases by Botticelli, Correggio, Titian, and Giorgione’s lovely “Sleeping Venus” are exhibited here. Among the paintings of the masters of Flemish and Dutch schools are works by van Dyck, Rembrandt, Rubens, the outstanding Dutch landscape painter Jacob van Reisdal. The Golden Age of Spanish painting is represented by paintings by Diego Velazquez and other artists of that brilliant era.

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The jewel of the Dresden collection of paintings is the “Sistine Madonna” by Raphael. This imposing painting (about 2.5 x 2.0 meters) was painted by Raphael in oil on canvas in 1512 at the request of Pope Julius II. It was intended to decorate the altar apse of the church of the Benedictine monastery of St. Sixtus in the Italian city of Piacenza. There are many curious legends associated with the painting. It is said that the great High Renaissance painter Antonio da Correggio, a master of light and dramatic scenes, cried with delight in front of it. It is believed that the two cherubic children depicted at the bottom of the composition in pensive poses are portraits of Raphael’s children, who came to their father’s studio to look at the new painting.

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Augustus III, Elector of Saxony and King of Poland, son of the founder of the art collection, bought this painting in 1754 for 20,000 zechin. It is said that in those days this fabulous sum was equivalent to 70 kilograms of gold. According to legend, the painting so impressed the king that he ordered his throne to be moved to the Dresden palace to get a better look at it. When the New Royal Museum was built in Dresden in 1855, the Sistine Madonna was given its own magnificent hall. The painting became an icon of German Romanticism in the 19th century. In 2012, a jubilee exhibition was held at the Zwinger to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the creation of this famous painting.

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A long tradition of the museum is symphony concerts in the halls. They are usually given by musicians from the Dresden Opera, but their colleagues from other German cities and European countries are often invited. The musical program of each concert is dedicated to one of the collection’s famous paintings.

The permanent exhibition of the Dresden Gallery consists of 750 paintings, about a thousand more are stored in the museum’s storerooms.It is convenient to visit the masterpieces of the art gallery with an audio guide. It can be taken at the entrance for 3 €.

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Porcelain Museum

One of the passions of Elector Augustus the Strong, who initiated the collection of this unique museum, was collecting porcelain and earthenware objects. Initially, these were finely crafted painted vases and tableware, tea sets and decorative sculptural compositions brought from China and Japan, distant countries that possessed the secret of producing delicate fragile items. The Elector himself jokingly referred to this frenzied collecting as “porcelain fever”. He spent huge sums of money on precious porcelain. Once the Saxon ruler exchanged from the Prussian king, with whom the war was waged, several ancient Chinese vases with images of red dragons, giving for them hundreds of captured soldiers and officers of the enemy. These beautiful vases still adorn the museum’s exposition today. Chinese porcelain is one of the most significant values of the museum. It is difficult for the untrained viewer to understand the deep symbolism of the Chinese artists’ images, so we recommend joining a guided tour or using an audio guide.

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In all its splendor in the museum is presented and Meissen porcelain. In his time to unravel the mystery of porcelain production, Augustus the Strong attracted the best scientists of his country and generously funded research. It turned out that the key element in the structure of porcelain is the mineral kaolinite, and in Saxony were found its deposits. The mines were immediately classified and guards were assigned to the mines. The German naturalist Ehrenfried Walter von Tschirnhaus played a leading role in the invention of the new technology. The alchemist Johann Friedrich Bötter, who had previously tried unsuccessfully to turn lead into gold bars, also made a great contribution to the development. It was in his laboratory that the first samples of real porcelain were obtained in 1708. Two years later, the Royal Porcelain Manufactory was founded in the Saxon town of Meissen. The secret of production of Meissen products was protected by a strict law, for its disclosure was the death penalty. Delightful Meissen porcelain served the tables of European monarchs and aristocrats, in Meissen produced family sets and for Russian emperors.

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In the collection of Elector August had about 40,000 porcelain objects, unfortunately, half of them lost. Due to lack of space, about two thousand porcelain pieces are on display in the current exhibition, the rest are kept in the storerooms, but they are often shown in special temporary exhibitions. For completeness of perception porcelain products are placed on a background of anthracite-black and scarlet lacquered panels.

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Meissen porcelain is represented by beautiful dishes, vases, decorative statuettes depicting glamorous scenes, multifigure compositions, snuff boxes with painted bas-reliefs, and many other products. Here you can see bright bouquets of colored porcelain in combination with metal, melodious bells, a whole zoo with animal figures, elegant table statuettes, porcelain mantel clock. In the 20-ies of the last century by order of the Ministry of Finance at the Meissen manufactory mass produced even ceramic coins, which went into the monetary turnover of Germany, here were made a small series of commemorative medals in porcelain cases.

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The Porcelain Museum is housed in ten gallery rooms in the Zwinger’s southern arcade. If you don’t have a general museum ticket, you can visit the porcelain exhibition for a fee of €6. On the upper tier there is a cozy cafe, from where the whole museum complex is clearly visible. One of the rooms of the museum serves as a concert hall.

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Physics and Mathematics Museum

Centered on the west side of Zwinger Square are a horseshoe of rounded galleries adjacent to the Physics and Mathematics Pavilions, which houses a collection of scientific instruments and mechanical chronometers, telescopes, prisms, and other optical designs for over 300 years. They were used by prominent European scientists of the XVII-XIX centuries. It was a remarkable period of rapid progress in science, when modern chemistry was born out of medieval alchemy and astronomy out of astrology. Looking at these simple devices, it is difficult to imagine that with their help were made great discoveries and technological breakthroughs, the fruits of which mankind habitually enjoys today.

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Nearby attractions

As early as the century before last, the Zwinger’s halls became crowded with paintings, but it was not until the early 20th century that it was decided to divide the collection. Only paintings by Renaissance and Baroque artists were left in the museum, at which time it was called the Old Masters Gallery. More modern works were moved outside the Zwinger, to a beautiful building on the banks of the Elbe. This exhibition became known as the New Masters Gallery. It exhibits works by artists of the German Romanticism school, paintings by French Impressionists, and sculptures. The picturesque promenade itself is nicknamed the Balcony of Europe. It is also known as the Brühl Terrace – this area once belonged to Count Heinrich von Brühl. Here, among the trees, fountains and monuments, citizens and tourists stroll leisurely, and it is not easy to find a free table in the numerous cafes and restaurants.

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To the right of the Zwinger, on Theater Square, is the Dresden Opera House. Its orchestra often performs concerts in the museum halls.

Next to the Zwinger, in a building built in 1586, is the Transportation Museum. This interactive collection features authentic examples and models of German (and not only) automobiles. It is interesting to see the first self-propelled carriage of the inventor Karl Benz, to get acquainted with the working principle of the famous internal combustion engine of the engineer Diesel.

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Within walking distance of the Zwinger are the Dresden Royal Palace, the Opera House, the Catholic Church, the Frauenkirche and other city attractions.

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Hotels Nearby

There are several luxury hotels near the Zwinger with long names typical of the German language. Among them stands out Hotel Taschenbergpalais Kempinski 5*, located a hundred meters from the Old Masters Gallery. The hotel is included in the list of Dresden attractions. The atmosphere of discreet status luxury reigns here. The first floor is occupied by restaurants, cafes and stores. Indoor heated swimming pool, spa, fitness center, restaurant with German cuisine, café-bistro, bar, underground parking are at guests’ disposal. Accommodation costs from 130 €/night/room.

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Here are some more hotels within a five-minute walk of the Zwinger:

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  • Steigenberger Hotel de Saxe 4*+. Rates are 90-300 € per night/room.
  • Felix Suiten im Lebendigen Haus am Zwinger. In addition to standard rooms in the hotel there are spacious three-room apartments with kitchenette. On the first floor there is a restaurant, snack bars and a bar. Rates range from 84-193 €/night/room.
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  • Vienna House QF Dresden 4*. The hotel has a restaurant with excellent cuisine. The cost of accommodation is 63-234 € per night/room. Breakfast is paid separately.
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  • Star Inn Hotel Premium 3*. The rooms are equipped with coffee machines, refrigerators, safes, TVs. The hotel has a bar, there is no restaurant. The nearest restaurant is in a neighboring building, opposite there is a market. The cost of accommodation – 113-618 € per night/room.

Practical information

From January to March and November to December, the Zwinger welcomes visitors from 06:00 to 20:00. From April to October its doors are open from 06:00 to 22:00. During this time you can walk around its grounds and explore some of the pavilions, there is no charge.

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The museums are open from 10:00 to 18:00. Monday is a day off.

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A single ticket to visit all the museums costs 12 €, children under 5 years old are free. A tour for a group of 10 people costs from 90 €.

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The entrances to all museums are equipped with wheelchair-friendly ramps.

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How to get there

The Zwinger occupies a block between Soffistrasse, Ostra-Allee and the Elbe. Its address is Theaterplatz (Theater Square) 1. You can get to the palace complex from anywhere in Dresden by streetcar. From the train station there are streetcars No. 4, 8, 9, 11. Go to the stop “Postplatz”, then walk. You can get to the same stop from the station by bus (routes No. 333, 360).

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