I still remember the first time I visited Dresden earlier in the year, when it was cold. I was surprised and amazed by the grandness of the city. The spring bloom hadn‘t started yet and the trees were still bare. It was at the end of my first road trip (I have visited Slovakia, Poland and more) and Dresden was one of my stops. I loved Dresden so much, I came back there again, during summer. Because I had to see the green gardens. So, which one was better? Let’s compare Dresden in Winter vs. Summer for a comprehensive view.
When is it best to visit?
Dresden Winter vs. Summer
Dresden Winter
Since Dresden was part of Eastern Germany, it’s incredible to see that the baroque Frauenkirche was only rebuilt and completed recently. The original church, finished in 1743, was completely destroyed in WWII. Under Eastern German rule, the ruins remained untouched — just a pile of rubble — for decades. Only after the fall of the wall could the reconstruction begin, finally starting 50 years later.Wow!
I’ve read that the locals collected all the old rocks during those 50 years and put them aside. And they used those bricks for the reconstruction of the church. It is a unique and amazing church with a grand dome!
And then I saw the Zwinger. The Zwinger is a palace in Dresden, built in Baroque style and designed by a court architect (Matthäus Daniel Pöppelmann) from 1709 on. Originally served as an orangery (for a few hundred orange Trees) it has soon developed into a place for exhibitions and a festival arena of the Dresden Court. The detail in each of the buildings and sculptures is stunning! Even without the green gardens inside the square, it still looked amazing. Do I need to say more about Dresden’s charm in winter?
Although a day is probably enough time to take the city in, Dresden has become one of my top cities to see (although I did like Hamburg as well). So how is Dresden winter vs. summer? Let’s go and see…
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In comparison and to see when is it best to visit…
Dresden Summer
With the summer season almost gone, it was time to visit Dresden again. After all, I had to compare the differences in Dresden winter versus summer. So after Prague, I headed north to make a stop in Dresden for a summer visit. And what a summer’s day it was! 36 degrees! Funnily, it made almost 30 degrees hotter than my last visit. Talking about a change of season, it truly felt different when considering Dresden winter coldness against summer warmth.
Well, in summer, it was nice to see the city alive with coffee shops, ice cream temptations, and lots of people.
The Zwinger looked just as stunning as it did in Winter but with more greenery. The buildings and gardens are still being refurbished in parts, and I can’t wait to come back again and see the progress as well as the finished product. It was exciting to see that, in order to come close to the original design again, the orange trees were back as well.
So just to say it one more time, in case you weren’t sure. Go and visit Dresden! No matter whether winter or summer. xx
(post 47)
