Day 12 - A short morning in Dresden, then traveling to Berlin
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We had a half day in Dresden on our own in the morning so we decided to walk around Dresden a little bit and then go over and tour a couple of the museums at the Zwinger Palace. |
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| We took a quick early morning walk across the Elbe to the east bank to see what we could see. Here an equestrian statue of Augustus II (Augustus the Strong) called "the Golden Rider." | We came back to the west side of the Elbe to start our tour of the Zwinger Palace museums. Here one of the many entry gates leading into the Zwinger courtyard. Across the courtyard is the Crown Gate. |
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| Our first stop in the Zwinger was in the Old Master Gallery (Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister). Here a painting by Garofalo titled "The Virgin Adoring the Christ Child" from 1517. | A painting of "Saint Barbara" by Lucas Cranach the Elder, from c. 1516 |
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| A entire hall of the Old Master Gallery focused on statues/sculptures. | Statues/scuptures created by students trying to emulate Michelango... |
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| Next stop at the Zwinger Palace was the Porcelain Collection. An entire section included Chinese and Japanese porcelain pieces collected by Augustus the Strong! | Porcelain urn and plate display... |
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| The Porcelain Collection also included many china pieces created by Meissen. Many had religious themes, here a piece titled "The Death of Saint Xaverius." | Another piece titled "The Legend of Saint Hubertus." |
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| Angela posing in front of a French porcelain creation aptly titled "Bouquet of Flowers" |
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After we finished touring the Zwinger Place Museums we went back to our hotel for a little lunch. Then it was time to board our tour bus to drive north to Berlin! |
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| Willkommen nach Berlin! Driving up Tempelhoferdamm on our way to the city center we passed the former Tempelhof Central Airport. Now a refugee center... |
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| The Kurfürstendamm, main shopping area in the former West Berlin with the ruins of the Kaiser Wilhelm Gedächtniskirche in the background. | Kaufhaus des Westens aka KaDeWe, one of the largest department stores in Europe. |
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| Angela on our balcony at the Regent Hotel Berlin. |
Visible out our hotel window, the TV Tower near Alexanderplatz, nicknamed the "Pope's Revenge" because of the cross that shone on the globe anytime the sun came out... |
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| Angela outside the U.S. Embassy at Pariser Platz | John at Pariser Platz with the Brandenburg Gate in the background. |
