Dresden

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dresden-auf-deutschlandkarteDresden, the capital city of the German federal state of Saxony, is located in a valley on the river Elbe. The city’s population is roughly 525,000, which places the city in 12th position nationally.
For further information, visit the official homepage of the city

Distances to other cities:

  • Berlin – 2 hours
  • Prague – 2 hours
  • Leipzig – 1.5 hours
  • Munich – 4.5 hours
  • Frankfurt – 4.5 hours

History

The city celebrated its 800th anniversary in 2006. Dresden has had a long history as the capital and royal residence for the Electors and Kings of Saxony, most famously of August the Strong, which allowed the city to accumulate numerous architectural gemstones and other riches. The city’s baroque city center is internationally acclaimed.

Must-see destinations include:

  • Zwinger
  • Frauenkirche
  • Semper Opera House
  • Residential Palace and Cathedral
  • Bruehl Terrace and Dresden Fortress Casemates
  • Old Masters Gallery
  • Procession of Princes Mural
  • Green Vault museum (largest European treasure collection)
  • Military History Museum (Daniel Libeskind design)
  • Transparent VW Factory

Find Dresden’s Pick of its Top 10 Sights here: Top Ten Sights

Other Tourism Links:

 

Economy and Science

High Tech Location

Dresden today is one of the most dynamic high-tech locations in Europe, with a particular emphasis on microelectronics, IT and telecommunications, biotechnology, nanotechnology, photovoltaics and the development and manufacturing of new materials. Further traditional cornerstones are mechanical engineering and plant construction, aircraft and automobile manufacturing, printing, pharmaceuticals and the food and beverage industry.

Silicon Saxony

 1,200 businesses with more than 40,000 employees make Dresden the largest European microelectronics and ICT cluster. “Silicon Saxony” unites many of the most renowned names in the branch: not only global players, such as Advanced Micro Devices, Infineon Technologies, Globalfoundries, Toppan Photomasks and X-Fab, but also innovative emerging businesses such as Novaled, KSW Microtec, Zentrum Mikroelektronik Dresden International, Microelectronic Packaging Dresden, SAW Components, or Plastic Logic. A total of over 7 billion Euros has been invested in this economic branch in Dresden since 2002.

Research Location

In addition, Dresden is the strongest research location in Eastern Germany, with the Dresden Technical University and numerous other universities and colleges, as well as research institutes of the Fraunhofer and Max Planck Societies, Leibnitz Association and, since 2011, also Helmholtz Association. Together, they form a basis for innovative and successful developments. In the biotechnology field, for example, a research cluster has developed around the DFG (German Research Foundation) “Regenerative Therapies” research center. And in the field of nanotechnology, the Dresden region has evolved as a national center, with 32 research facilities and 53 of the nation’s 760 companies.

References and Links