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Why the
Zwinger
is special
 The
Zwinger in Dresden is a triumph in Baroque architecture and has museums with
outstanding collections.
Tips & insights on
the Zwinger
It
is a complex of buildings, pavilions and galleries ringing a vast quadrangle
garden adorned with statuary, fountain pools, greenery and walkways. This hemmed
in courtyard was sometimes used for lavish festivals, complete with music and
fireworks.
The
Crown Gate (see photo) and the statue-rich Nymphenbad (Bath of Nymphs) are the
Zwinger's top two architectural marvels.
The
museums have different focuses but have something in common. All have world
class collections.
Why the
Zwinger
is special
The
Zwinger in Dresden is a triumph in Baroque architecture and has museums with
outstanding collections.
Tips & insights on
the Zwinger
It
is a complex of buildings, pavilions and galleries ringing a vast quadrangle
garden adorned with statuary, fountain pools, greenery and walkways. This hemmed
in courtyard was sometimes used for lavish festivals, complete with music and
fireworks.
The Zwinger's
top architectural marvels are the
Crown Gate (see photo), the statue-rich Nymphenbad (Bath of Nymphs, and the
ornate domed pavilions on opposite ends of the courtyard.
The
museums have different focuses but have something in common. All have world
class collections.
One
museum specializes in 16th to 18th century armory and weaponry. Another displays
antique porcelains from Saxony and the Far East. Yet another features historic
scientific instruments and clocks. And, there's the art museum with
artworks of great masters, including Rubens, Rembrandt and Raphael. The last
artist created the Zwinger's most prized possession, the Sistine Madonna (see
photo).
The
Zwinger was built in the early 1700s by Augustus the Strong, the ruler of Saxony
and Poland.
The
buildings were severely bombed in World War II and long lay in ruins. Today, the Zwinger has been reconstructed. The priceless artwork was saved because it was
removed and stored in secure locations before the air raids.
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