Evening Stroll Through Dresden

Over the past few years, I’ve been to Dresden for business quite a few times. During these visits, I watched as the gaps in the Old Town were gradually filled, and cranes and construction fences disappeared from the cityscape, only to reappear elsewhere.

For instance, the long-term renovation of the Augustus Bridge was completed, but then a new major construction site emerged with the collapse of the nearby Carolabrücke. While numerous historic buildings have been rebuilt around the Neumarkt by the Frauenkirche and the square has been restored to its original form, construction work is currently underway at Dresden’s Residenzschloss in the castle chapel, the Proposition Hall, and the Grand Ballroom.

However, during those stays, I rarely had the time or inclination to take photos. Luckily, this time it was different. Plus, a colleague who also enjoys photography was with me. So, we could inspire each other and point out interesting subjects.

After dinner together on the terrace in front of the Pulverturm in pleasantly warm temperatures, a local colleague gave us a city tour rich in information and anecdotes, even though clouds and brief showers kept passing through intermittently.

While we found wonderful subjects and atmospheres during sunset and blue hour, on the way back to the hotel – along the magnificent Elbe panorama – I increasingly missed my tripod, which I had left in the hotel room. It was late in the evening after a long day, but sunset and dusk just before the summer solstice start much later anyway. It was clear to me that I couldn’t go to sleep yet. So I set off again – it was only a few minutes to the Elbe riverbank.

On the steps of Brühl’s Terrace, you’ll find one of the most spectacular spots with a panoramic view of Schlossplatz, featuring the Residenzkirche, Hofkirche, Hausmannsturm, Semperoper, and the Elbe landscape with the Augustus Bridge.

The streets and squares gradually emptied, and a sublime atmosphere settled in. The city looked like a sparkling jewel, giving me a precious moment that evening.

To capture the famous panorama, including the reflection of the Old Town in the Elbe, I had to walk a long way from the riverside path to reach the water’s edge: first through the meadow and then across a wide gravel bank. The water level was once again extremely low, and this was even before summer.

After these last spectacular shots, I could finally go to bed content.