The ‘Silicon Valley of Germany’

The Dresden University of Technology is one of the oldest technical universities and the city is an important center of sciences and home to many researchers. Numerous hardware and hi-tech development companies and research centers have been located here.

The ‘Florence of the Elbe’ and the ‘Baroque Capital’

Dresden has a long history as a capital and royal residence for Kings of Saxony with centuries of extraordinary cultural and artistic splendour. The style of architecture that predominated under August I of Saxony is known as Dresden Baroque. Before the World War II, Dresden with its unmatched collection of baroque architecture was famous as one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. Now, after the restoration of its greatest monuments, the city has regained its fame. Also, it is still an important cultural center, called the ‘Florence of the Elbe’. It’s Semper Opera House (German: Semperoper) is one of the most famous in the world.

Even the weather reminds rather southern territories. Located in a relatively narrow river valley, the city enjoys considerably warmer climate that most of eastern Germany.

The ‘Capital of the Saxon Switzerland’

Saxon Switzerland (German: Saechsische Schweiz) is a mountain climbing area and a national park near Dresden. The area has around 1,000 peaks that have never been climbed, as well as several hollows and lakes and is popular with Dresden locals and international climbers.

One of the Europe’s greenest large cities

The word ‘Dresden’ originates from old Sorbian, meaning people of the riverside forest). Nowadays a third of its area is still covered by forested areas, called Dresdner Heide. In 2002 Dresden was listed as one of the Europe’s greenest large cities.

Resources:

Dresden (Wikipedia)
Saxony with Leipzig and Dresden (Fodor’s)
Saxon Switzerland (Wikipedia)
Dresden – a new beginning (Luxury Traveller)
Dresden Travel Guide (VirtualTourist)
Tourism in Dresden
iExplore: Dresden