Day 7: Off the Bikes for One Day, Exploring "Florence on the Elbe," and Recharging the Batteries 

(And a Greatly Needed Chance to Wash Some Biking Clothes)

Day 7, A Full, Fascinating Day and Another Night in Dresden

The Road Scholar adventurers began the morning with an expert-led lecture in the Zwinger Palace courtyard.

   Amazing what a hot shower, a delicious dinner, a good night's sleep, a  yummy breakfast and, most of all, dry clothes will do. We awoke for a full day off the bikes to gray but dry skies (and least until the afternoon) in incomparable Dresden, known as "Florence on the Elbe." Dresden is capital of the state

Sue, Kate & Leah hear the Dresden story.

of Saxony. I say "incomparable" because the Dresden story is that of a city bombed and nearly demolished by British and American forces in WWII, only to rise, piece by piece, in the decades since. Restoration has helped to reconstruct parts of the historic inner city, including the Zwinger Palace, the Dresden Frauenkirche and the Semper Opera House, all of which we learned about during a walking exploration with a local expert.

    At the heart of the Dresden story is a bitter debate over justification of the bombing. A city of

The view of Dresden, "Florence on the Elbe," from atop the Frauenkirche.

culture and famous for its architecture, it wasn't an industrial center manufacturing war supplies or an important political center, like Berlin. So why in February 1945 did Allied forces try to destroy the city. And indeed, they nearly did: estimates of the dead at the time ranged from 25,000 to 500,000, although more recent estimates place the toll at 25,000 to 30,000. The baroque architectural masterpiece was turned into an inferno, the result of 3,400 tons of explosives dropped by 800 American and British aircraft. Both Allies and Germans have argued over the real purpose of the bombing. Defenders

Destroyed in 1945, the Semper Opera House reopened 40 years later.

 of the horrific assault say Dresden was a major communications center and bombing it hampered the Germans' ability to get messages to the army. The opposite viewpoint is that the attack was meant to punish the Germans and weaken their morale. It is a debate that is likely never to be resolved.


   With a sense of Dresden's history by late morning, we had the afternoon free to explore on our own. We all were excited, because this city teems with energy. Kay decided I need a good application of sun block before we hopped on a bus,

Kay is cheeky about SPF50.

then we were off on a 10-mile loop from the heart of the city into beautiful neighborhoods, finally completing the loop at the Innere Neustadt on the north bank of the Elbe River. After lunch, we walked across the Augustus Bridge (our group rode over it a day earlier) back to the south bank and the Old Town.

A window into Jay Schneider?

 Built between 1907 and 1910, the Augustus Bridge is the city's oldest and replaced a sandstone bridge built by Augustus II the Strong in 1731. This new bridge was built with nine arches in order to provide a wider opening for river traffic. Bustling with foot traffic, cyclists, cars and three tram lines, vantage points over the nine arches are ideal places to observe the beauty of the Old Town.
    
   An equally perfect vantage point to take in the panorama was our next stop, Brühl's 

Off the bike for a day, I climbed to the "Balcony of Europe."

 Terrace, set between the Elbe River and the Old Town. Nicknamed the "Balcony of Europe," it is a terraced promenade lined by some of Dresden's most beautiful historic buildings, including the Royal Art Academy and the Albertinum Museum. Brühl's Terrace was originally part of ramparts built to protect the city. In 1739, Count Henrich von Bruhl had the idea to make them into a terrace and work was completed in 1748. In 1814, a staircase was added so the terrace connects with the Schlossplatz, which is the city square of Old Town.

   As I mentioned in an earlier blog posting, we had been in Mother Nature's good graces for much of our

The foreboding gray skies finally let loose in early afternoon.

adventure. Yes, we got drenched coming into Dresden the previous day. But this morning had been rain-free even though the forecast called for an all-day soaking. So when the skies opened, no one was surprised. We took refuge in Dresden shops while working our way over to the signature landmark of Dresden, the Frauenkirche (the Church of Our Lady).

    The World War II air raids left this magnificent building in a 42-foot-high pile of rubble

Rubble for 40 years, the Frauenkirche finally was rebuilt by 2005.

that was left untouched for 40 years. In the 1980s, the ruins became a site of the East German peace movement and thousands gathered here to peacefully protest the regime of the East German goverment. The church was rebuilt after the reunification of Germany, with construction beginning in January 1993 using original plans from builder Georg Bahr in the 1720s. The reconstruction of the Fraunkirche's exterior was completed in 2004 and the interior in 2005. In the first three years, 7 million people visited the church as tourists and to attend worship services.Two devotional services are held daily and two liturgies every Sunday.

    Kay and I finally reached the church and scampered up the steps with others visiting the city, shaking off our umbrellas before filing into the church and finding seats in a pew. The interior is magnificent. In June

Finding a pew in the Frauenkirche is well worth the time.   

 2009, Pres. Barack Obamba took time after a nearby meeting with German Chancelor Angela Merkel to tour the church, lighting a candle and signing a book at a memorial to the firebombing. He stood before the church's old tower cross that was retrieved from the rubble of the church in 1993, 48 years after the building was destroyed. The rebuilt church has a new tower cross that was paid for by the people of Great Britain and crafted by the son of one of the British pilots who bombed the city. Obama was quoted during a press conference with Merkel that Dresden had overcome "great tragedies and is now this beautiful city of hope."


Elliot's Day's Biking Total: 0 miles.