The new town hall in Dresden is the seat of the city council. This is a monumental building on the Old Market Square.
New Town Hall (Neues Rathaus), photo X-Weinzar
On the Old Market Square in Dresden, next to the Church of the Holy Cross, stands the monumental Art Nouveau building of the New Town Hall (Neue Rathaus).
A bit of history
At the end of the XIX century. The old town hall no longer had enough space for the city administration. Then it was decided to expand it. In the early 1900s, a competition was organized for the best architectural project. The victory was won by Carl Roth. The New Town Hall was built in 1905-1910. In wartime, the building suffered from numerous bombings, but it was reconstructed.
Building architecture
Architecture of the Town Hall, photo by X-Weinzar
The entrance to the building is decorated with four gilded bars that protect the sculptures of lions. The town hall tower is made in the Baroque style, its height is 100 m. The tower is decorated with 16 figures of virtues. At the top - a 5-meter gilded sculpture of Heracles with the Cornucopia - the patron saint of Dresden. This work was performed by Richard Gur, and the famous German weightlifter Ewald Redam posed.
In clear weather, if you go up to the observation deck of the town hall, you can admire the beautiful view of the city and the neighboring villages stretching to Saxon Switzerland.
Interior of the Town Hall, photo by Eigenes Werk
Town Hall Tower, photo by dadiolli
Wine Vault
The town hall houses a wine cellar. At the entrance to it you are met by the composition "Bacchus on a drunken donkey." Its author was the famous Dresden sculptor Georg Vrba. There is a long tradition. You need to stroke the thumb of the God of Winemaking, and this will bring you good luck and happiness. Therefore, tourists are happy to polish this part of the statue.
How to get there
Take tram 8, 9, 11, 12 to the Prager Straße stop.
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