Dresden, Zwinger Museum

When we arrived at the baroque buildings called the Zwinger, there could be no doubt we were in Dresden — there are no other buildings like these, anywhere. It was designed by Matthäus Daniel Pöppelmann in 1719 as a festive setting for royal entertainment: weddings, operas, fireworks and a porcelain collection. The dictionary says of baroque, “… characterized by much ornamentation, … fantastically overdecorated.” That may well be true, but it’s beautiful. Baroque is the style of the decorations in many cathedrals, such as at Melk, Austria, but the exterior of Dresden's Zwinger is unique.

Some references call it a Palace, others a Museum. Maybe it was a Palace at one time, but now it’s a Museum. This is the only place in Dresden that we saw and heard street musicians, with their violin or flute case open at their feet, hoping for a donation.